The Story of Nefera's Birth
by un-living-perfection
Summary: Monster High fanfiction that deals with the story of how Ramses de Nile and Dedyet de Nile met, fell in love and had a baby. (Less cheesy than it sounds.)
1. Two parts of Egypt

This is **The Story of Nefera's Birth**

Have you ever wondered how a shy girl with a heart of gold could marry an arrogant snob who thinks he's a god, and build up the greatest dynasty of all time?

Her parents are dead. Her family's kingdom is in ruins. She has an older brother who abuses her on a daily basis. No friends. No love. No future. Dedyet is hopeless until one man rocks her world.

His future is planned right down to the last detail. Never did he guess that one woman could change his future, his morals and his complete personality.

This story is about how two racist kingdoms result in one happy family. This is **The Story of Nefera's Birth**.

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Two parts of Egypt**

Our story starts with two powerful men on a balcony. That, and a _tiny_ suggestion.

"Ramses, my son, I know how you can be the most divine Pharaoh of all time," a dark voice stated.

"What is your advice, Father?" Another dark voice answered.

"Egypt. It needs to be united."

Ramses' eyes widened. As a twenty-two year old man and the future pharaoh of Upper Egypt (which was surprisingly _Southern_ Egypt), he knew that the two sides of the country couldn't be united. Never! The hatred was too big.

"Father, this would mean for us to give away our land," the crown prince spoke out carefully, knowing his father disliked such a way of thinking.

"Oh, son, _please._ Don't you know anything about the might and power I have as the ruler of this country?" His father asked, almost insulted.

"But, Father, it is only Upper Egypt you are ruling over," Ramses reminded his father. "The North belongs to…" His eyes widened. "Who was it again?"

"Pharaoh Setpenkhamun."

"Exactly. You couldn't just steal his throne and palace… Could you, Father?" Ramses bit his lip, cursing that last part of the sentence. Only an uneducated fool would ask a question like that!

"There is a thing about Setpenkhamun no one in this kingdom knows," his father answered darkly, ignoring the dumb question.

"And… what is it?"

"He doesn't rule alone. He rules with his sister."

"With his sister? That's the most pathetic thing I have heard in years!"

"This sister of him, she is a young, attractive woman."

"How do you know? Have you seen her?"

"Oh, of course _not_! No one would dare to leave their kingdom by crossing the borders! It is a simple rumor. There are people here in Lower Egypt who claim to have set an eye on the princess' stunning beauty. She is said to be as beautiful as goddess Hathor herself!"

Ramses crossed his arms. "That seems completely over the top. I mean, how could a human woman have the grace and beauty of goddess Hathor? The statement is simply laughable."

"Ramses de Nile!"

"Yes, Father?"

"The princess is _your_ age."

"Oh?"

"You will marry her."

"Father! I don't even _know_ her!"

"Either that, or you marry your sister, Neferia!"

"Ugh. Anything but that. She is my _sister_!"

"Stop being so picky!"

Ramses sighed. "Is it too much to ask to marry someone that I love?"

"Love does not exist. The servants have prepared our journey already."

"Our _journey_?"

"Yes. Our journey to Lower Egypt."


	2. The beginning of a journey

**Chapter 2: The beginning of a journey**

Ramses de Nile took a last look at the palace he had spent his complete life in, before walking towards his litter. His younger brother seemed to be _eager_ to rule in their father's place the time they were gone. But they certainly wouldn't stay long in this kingdom in the North. Lower Egypt was a barbaric place, that much was already clear.

"I have never travelled such a long distance," Ramses told his father as soon as their journey started in their litter.

"I know. It is unusual for the royal family to travel. But in this case, it is an absolute must. As much as I love my kingdom and palace, I know that this journey will be worth it. It is just unfortunate that Setpenkhamun is anything but pleased about another kingdom's visit. He was told by our servants that we are coming in peace. This is why we have gifts in the litter to bring him. His kingdom needs it, I can tell you. The people living there will never be as happy as the people living here."

Ramses nodded slowly. That was a lot of information at once.

"I couldn't have let you travel without me. You would have ruined it with the girls," Ramses' father then said. The normally so stern man chuckled.

Ramses groaned at his father. "I just didn't meet the right one yet, that is all. You've barely given me a chance yet!"

"Well, my son, your chance is now."

Ramses sighed, obviously unhappy. "I don't want to marry anyone from this place, Father. The people there must be all messy and… _dirty_!"

"Don't forget our goal, my son. My time is soon over and you will rise as a new god. Marry the princess and become their pharaoh. You will rule both parts of Egypt. This is the only way. Ramses, you are willing and able. Do not forget that."

"Thank you, Father. I highly appreciate this compliment."

"This was not a compliment. This is the future."


	3. A grumpy welcoming

**Chapter 3: A grumpy welcoming**

The sun was going down when the de Niles arrived at the palace in North Egypt.

Ramses cursed quietly. It was dark and cold and he could barely see anything!

Several guards stood before the entrance. The way the de Niles arrived made it quite obvious that they were royalty, too. Their arrival had been expected so the guards let them in within a few seconds. No questions were asked.

Inside sat a man not older than Ramses on a golden throne, the red crown – which represented Lower Egypt – on his head.

"You!" The man said angrily, pointing at both of them. His voice was even darker than Ramses' and his father's.

Ramses growled quietly. His father had told him to stay in the background…

"Pharaoh Setpenkhamun!" Ramses' father said, stepping forward.

"I have not agreed to you visiting me!"

"We come in peace."

"Upper Egypt is nothing but trouble. It is a mess!"

…But that was when he couldn't hold himself anymore. Ramses had to defend his family's kingdom!

"At least the de Niles have always been capable of ruling alone - without their _sisters_!"

His father growled. "Ramses! I told you to stay quiet!"

"But Father! He has insulted our kingdom!"

Ramses was completely ignored by his father, who turned to the front again. "Pharaoh Setpenkhamun, we came from far with the wish to gift you our special treasures."

"And what do you want from me?!"

"We want to make peace."

"I take it you have no stay?"

"We do not."

"Laughable!" He turned to the side. "Guards! Make these two leave!"

The guards walked forward when a soft and female voice suddenly echoed through the halls. "Wait!"

Everyone turned to a beautiful, young woman who stood by the side.

"Brother, I really do think they are here in peace."

He turned to her in anger. "Argh, leave my throne room!"

"This isn't fair and you know it!"

"Shut your mouth, woman!"

She crossed her arms, staying strong yet calm. "I won't leave until you give these two men a stay. They came from far and now you are throwing them out! This isn't right."

Setpenkhamun had already lost his patience. "Argh, fine!" He turned to Ramses and his father. "You can have a stay. But only for a night! And then you'll be gone! Back to where you came from!"

"This is really grateful of you," the older de Nile spoke out. He turned to his son, expecting him to thank the southern pharaoh. But Ramses stood there, staring. Staring at a woman he had never seen before.


	4. Last Goodnights

**Chapter 4: Last Goodnights**

"It is your fault they are here!" Setpenkhamun said to his sister before bedtime.

"Fault? I am sure these men mean absolutely no harm."

"No harm?! They are here to ruin this kingdom!"

"Set, it already _is_ ruined."

"What?!"

"You know that! I have helped establish most of this. It is too much for you to handle on your own! You have botched it once before. I beg you, my brother. Do not resist this chance of help now."

Her brother made a scene. "Are you insane?! How are you even _talking_ to me?! Did you forget your place?!"

"What place? I am your sister! We are supposed to help each other! I have already helped you before, while you-"

"Helped me?!"

The princess whisper-shouted. "This kingdom would have been in ruins without my help!"

"Shhh! Be quiet! We don't want them to know! They already know a lot more than they are supposed to!"

"I am just saying that taking these men's help might be a good thing. You treated them with so much disrespect, it was very sad to even look at. They are no less royal than we are."

"Argh! You are worth nothing!"

She suddenly seemed sad. "How could you say this to me?"

"This conversation is ended!"

The princess sighed. "Goodnight, my brother." She gave him a quick hug.

"Don't touch me."

"I just wanted-"

"Leave!"

The good-looking woman gave her brother a last look – a mixture of shock and sadness – before leaving the halls, on the way to her bedroom.


	5. Skipped breakfast

**Chapter 5: Skipped breakfast**

When Ramses left his room in the palace the next morning, he was greeted by his father who stood nearby. "My son, I wish you a good morning."

"Good morning, Father."

"Are you fine this morning?"

"Yes, of course. I'm just a little…confused."

He raised an eyebrow. "Confused? There is no time for such silly emotions!"

"It's about the princess… Was it her yesterday?"

"I am fairly certain."

"I am speechless."

Ramses' father smirked a tiny bit. "She is stunning, isn't she?"

"She is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."

"Don't exaggerate now, my son. I have once seen a concubine who was even prettier than the princess is."

"I want to see her."

"Oh, she used to sleep with my father. No idea where she went after-"

"No! I mean the princess. Do you know where she is?"

"I am sure you will see her at the breakfast table." The older de Nile turned to a nearby servant. "When will our breakfast be ready? It is already much later than expected!"

The young servant answered nervously. "Err, the royal family has already eaten an hour ago…"

Ramses' father growled in anger.

It was now Ramses who turned to the servant. "Where can I find the princess?"

He gulped. "I do not know if I am allowed to give you this information, but… She should be in her garden. It is this way," he pointed.

"Thank you," Ramses answered coldly, slowly walking towards the pointed direction, leaving his father behind.

The pharaoh looked after him with a strict glare. They hadn't even eaten breakfast! Was this boy _blind_ from love?!


	6. Worth it

**Chapter 6: Worth it**

Ramses' heart was beating fastly as his feet brought him to the small palace garden. The plants were honestly rather decent. Ra made the sun shine right in Ramses' eyes as he walked outside, in search for the young princess. He eventually found her, sitting on a bench, petting a black cat.

Ramses gulped when moving closer to her. Oh Ra, had he ever been this nervous?

"H-hello."

She turned around to him.

Ramses stood in the grass, smiling like an idiot.

The woman's voice was soft and clear. "Oh, hello."

"Err… Can I sit with you?"

She smiled warmly. "Sure."

Ramses came closer and the cat quickly jumped off of the bench, running inside.

He sat down. "M-my name is Ramses. And yours?"

"My name is Dedyet."

Ramses was melting like butter in the sun. "That's a beautiful name," he said as if his breath was taken.

Dedyet chuckled. "Thank you. You are from the South, right?"

"Err, yes, yes! My father is ruling the kingdom in Upper Egypt. I will take his place as soon as the gods will want me to."

"That sounds wonderful."

"Yes…" An awkward silence filled the garden. "And… You are the princess here?" Ugh. That was possibly the dumbest thing he could have asked now… She was quite _obviously_ the princess here!

"Yes, but I am not ruling. My brother is."

"Errr-"

"Yes?"

"I have heard that, err-, you are ruling with him together? It- it's just a rumor!"

Dedyet seemed surprised, yet concerned. "Where did you hear that?"

"Well… People say that in the North."

She faced the ground. "Oh. I see…"

"No! Err… I… Is it true?"

She nodded slowly. "Well, kind of." Dedyet looked up to him. "This side of Egypt was once in ruins. It was…because of my brother and his ideas about ruling a kingdom. So I took things in my own hands and began ruling with him together. He hated it, but I just couldn't see it anymore, how the people were suffering from the bad economy… My brother knows that he is a bad ruler. He just can't admit it." She faced the ground.

Ramses quickly complimented her. "This is beautiful of you to say. You deserve my fullest respect!"

She was smiling now, not just with her lips but also with her eyes. Those beautiful, beautiful eyes…

The crown prince was more than surprised that she was staring at him as well. "Your eyes… They are so beautiful," Dedyet mumbled, fascinated.

They both blushed and smiled at each other. Ramses reached out for Dedyet's hand. It was exactly this moment when he knew that the journey had been worth it.


	7. Violent royalty

**Chapter 7: Violent royalty**

Only seconds later, the two were interrupted by a shouting nearby. "Dedyet!"

It was Setpenkhamun who was coming closer to them, as grumpy as he had been the day before. "What are you doing here?!"

Dedyet immediately sat up and faced her brother. "I… I was just sitting outside."

"With him?!"

"Yes. He came to join me."

Setpenkhamun faced Ramses in anger. "Get your dirty hands _off of my sister_!"

"Set! It was nothing!" Dedyet claimed.

The angry pharaoh turned to the crown prince. "What are you still doing here?! I allowed you to stay _one_ night! Why aren't you leaving?!"

Ramses wanted to appear strong in front of Dedyet, feeling anger inside of him. "My father and I are waiting for breakfast," he said sassily, his arms crossed. "I expect your useless servants to prepare it. Now."

"Pff! I'm not sharing my breakfast with people from the South! You could starve and die without me caring!"

"Set, how can you be so selfish?" Dedyet interrupted, tears in her eyes.

Setpenkhamun yelled at her in anger. "Shut up, woman! Or I will put you in prison with both of these men! Is that what you want?! Do you want them to _touch_ you?!"

"What? Why would they-"

He moved towards his sister as if he was about to slap her.

Ramses stood up fearlessly. "Leave her alone!"

"What did you say?!" Setpenkhamun growled, immediately turning around to Ramses.

"I told you to leave her alone," the crown prince said through clenched teeth, eyeing the angry pharaoh.

"I do what I want with her!" Setpenkhamun answered, pushing Ramses away.

"She is not your property!" Ramses spoke out, his teeth still clenched. He pushed the pharaoh away as well.

"Shut your mouth!" Setpenkhamun yelled, louder than before. He pushed Ramses away with a stronger force.

And that was it. The fight turned physical within seconds, having the two men slap and push each other around in the oh-so peaceful garden.

Dedyet stood there, crying and completely helpless. "Stop it!" She yelled to both of them, attempting to make the violence stop. Just that no one was listening.

Suddenly, a male servant entered the garden, shocked by what he saw. Dedyet quickly acted, calling for help.

The servant approached, managing to grab hold of his leader to make the fighting stop.

"What are you doing?!" Setpenkhamun yelled, struggling to get away. "Let go of me, you filthy peasant!"

Dedyet had not seen her brother this mad in a long time. She was completely shocked by the complete situation, tears kept rolling down her cheeks.

As Ramses looked at her, he made an impulsive decision. The crown prince moved closer to the pharaoh and slammed his fist right into the Setpenkhamun's face. He heard Dedyet gasp in shock and looked up with a smirk.

But the princess was gone.


	8. Hugs and apologies

**Chapter 8: Hugs and apologies**

Ramses looked at his bloody fist, realizing what he had done. Setpenkhamun broke down, the servant by his side. Around them was a bloody mess.

The prince though was a coward. He left quickly, running after Dedyet.

"Wait! My princess!"

He was fast enough to see her disappearing in a room and slowly walked after her.

Inside was a sobbing princess, sitting on her bed, the face buried in her hands.

Ramses closed the door in a quiet way, glad to be alone with her. "I'm so sorry."

As there was no answer coming, he allowed himself to sit down next to her. "I am sorry," Ramses repeated.

"I can't believe this just happened," she said, sobbing.

"I'm here for you." He laid his hand on her back.

"Why did you slap him?"

A short moment of silence.

"He… he threatened you."

Dedyet finally looked up. Her makeup was completely ruined. "That's just how he is."

" _That's just how he is?_ He threatens you on a daily basis?!"

"No…"

"I want to help you."

"But you don't belong here."

His heart was slowly breaking. "W-what?"

"You don't belong here. I think my brother has shown that to you already…"

"But… I have to stay."

She looked him in the eyes. "Why?"

"I have met someone special throughout this journey."

"I think that's none of my business. It's probably best if you just…" She sighed. "…leave."

He looked at her. "Do you want me to go?"

She faced the ground. "It doesn't matter what I want."

"Dedyet. You matter so much."

She smiled sadly. "Thank you."

"Can I be honest with you?"

"If that's what's best for you, then absolutely."

"I don't know if it's best for me. But I have to let you know."

The princess seemed interested. "Yes?"

Ramses gulped. But sometimes you have to be brave even if it's only for a second. And so he said it. "You are in fact the most beautiful woman I have ever been allowed to lay my eyes onto."

And what came next was a warm and happy smile. And a blush.

He smiled as well.

The room turned quiet again before Dedyet spoke up, blushing even more than before. "Is it weird that I… Is it weird that I want to hug you now?"

"Not at all," he answered quietly.

And so the two hugged each other tightly.

Several seconds and a beautiful hug later, the room went quiet another time.

"So… How is it going in Upper Egypt?" Dedyet eventually asked, trying to make the feeling of awkwardness go away, pretending that she hadn't just hugged a complete stranger.

"It… It is good," he told her, nodding.

She smiled. "And… Is your father a good ruler?"

Ramses smirked. "The best one there ever was. But that's because my time didn't come yet."

Dedyet laughed.

"But don't tell my father I said that."

"You are cocky." She smirked at him. "But I think the inside is different."

He looked up to her in surprise. "The inside?"

"Your inside! The most important thing about a person!"

"The heart?"

"Not quite."

"The heart is undoubtedly the most important organ. I'm sure of it."

"But I don't mean the heart."

"What is it that you mean?"

"The soul and its beauty." She smiled warmly.

"Oh! You mean the stunning appearance and beauty of Egyptian royalty!"

"No."

Ramses was obviously more than surprised.

She looked at him and she said, "Beauty isn't about having a pretty face. It's about having a pretty mind, a pretty heart and a pretty soul."

He looked at her, speechless.

Dedyet blushed. "Oh! It's just… It's a quote my mother once- Oh… Let's just forget about it." She smiled awkwardly.

Ramses raised an eyebrow. This really did make him curious. Dedyet was not older than sixteen! And she lived in this palace with her brother and small groups of servants! Where even were all the people?

"Dedyet?"

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Your parents. Where are they?"

A long pause. "They aren't in the palace…"

"But where are they then?"

Dedyet faced the ground. The room turned quiet once again.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Oh! I- Err- I'm sorry!"

"It's fine. You didn't know."

Ramses looked away, cursing his stubbornness. Yes. He had definitely ruined it.


	9. Meant to be?

**Chapter 9: Meant to be?**

The palace was quiet for hours until the families were called into the dining hall.

When Ramses arrived he got an angry glare from his father. Setpenkhamun's bleeding wounds were quite obvious.

"I utterly refuse to eat lunch with this man!" The pharaoh yelled after seeing Ramses taking a seat. "He is an aggressive being!"

"You definitely owe the pharaoh an apology," Ramses' father told him sternly. "Your behavior was anything but okay. I'm ashamed that you're my son!"

Ouch. Ramses took a deep breath. "I am sorry," he mumbled.

But Setpenkhamun completely ignored the apology. "I don't know why these men even came here!" He said to no one but himself.

"We want this hate to stop," Ramses' father clarified.

"What hate?!"

"The hate between Upper and Lower Egypt."

The conversation got interrupted by several servants entering the room with golden plates in their hands. Lunch began, and Ramses and his father were the only ones not eating ("The food could be poisoned!" His father had warned).

Lunch passed in no time. The atmosphere? Rather negative.

When the plates were cleared, Ramses' father quickly sat down next to Setpenkhamun and they began talking about Egypt's economy.

Ramses took his chance and walked up to Dedyet who was helping a little bug that had gotten lost in the palace to crawl out of one of the windows.

"Hello, Dedyet."

She turned her head, smiling. "Hello, Ramses."

"Do you want to go outside?" He asked.

"Sure. Just let me help this little beetle here."

Ramses watched the beetle successfully reaching the outside. "The garden seems to be a place you really like…" He said.

"Oh, definitely. It's my favorite place."

"The garden we have in our palace is waaaay prettier," he told her as they started walking, a smirk on his face.

"Oh is that so?" She replied, an even greater smirk on her face.

"Yes, that is so. It's a simple fact."

"You de Niles really like to brag, do you?"

"Dedyet, we are here in peace, really."

"I know, I know. And I really appreciate it. This kingdom needs help."

A sudden thought flashed through Ramses' mind: He was actually _betraying_ Dedyet. His father and him had come here and invaded the royal family's privacy for the sole purpose of manipulating Dedyet into a marriage with Ramses, so that he could take over Setpenkhamun's kingdom! He was… He was _using_ her!

Dedyet started small talk, no idea about the thoughts that went through Ramses' mind. "You know, my brother has been ruling for quite some time now. Five years, to be exact."

Ramses quickly tried to overcome his thoughts. "So, when he started, he was…"

"Sixteen. Like I am now."

"Wow. That really is early to start."

"Yes…"

The hated silence returned. Only their footsteps were heard. The way to the garden seemed to be _endlessly_ long.

"Is…there a certain reason for that?" Ramses asked, already regretting this question.

"You are a really curious man, are you?"

He laughed nervously. "No! Err- I'm sorry. I didn't want to bother you in any way."

"No, it's okay. You don't bother me at all."

Ramses watched Dedyet sitting down on a bench, realizing that they had already entered the garden several seconds ago.

He sat down next to her.

No one was talking.

"So… Are you lonely here without your parents?"

As there was no answer, Ramses turned his head, surprised to find Dedyet angry.

The princess stood up. "Are you an informal or what?!"

"No!"

"Then why are you always asking me about them?"

"Sorry, I'm just curious…"

"Then you are by far the most curious person I have ever met in my life!"

"Well, the de Niles are very special," he told her, smirking arrogantly.

But Dedyet wasn't laughing at all.

"I'm sorry," he repeated. "I won't do it again."

"I think everyone deserves a second chance," she told him, "But right now, I don't think I can do it."

"What… What does that mean?"

She faced the ground. "I need some space."

And so she left the garden. Ramses kept sitting there, lost in thoughts.

What was her secret?


	10. A father's advice

**Chapter 10: Father's advice**

Ramses sighed rather angrily to himself when he kicked a stone inside the little pool that was in front of him. When he looked up, he saw his father approaching him.

"My son." The pharaoh sat down next to him. "How is it going?"

Ramses didn't answer him. He was instead looking at the pool in anger.

"Does she like you already? If you are really sure that she does, you should ask her to be your wife tomorrow, right before we leave. We cannot stay any longer."

"Father!"

"What is it?"

"We just had a fight…"

"A fight?!"

"I was asking her about her parents once again and she got angry and left. What do you think where they are?"

"Why would I care about where her parents are?!"

"Doesn't it make you curious?"

"No."

"We came to this palace. It is big, build for royalty. But the only people in here are an angry pharaoh, his younger sister and a handful servants! That's anything but normal!"

"It is nice to see how ruined this kingdom is, way worse than I thought it would be. Setpenkhamun is not popular amongst his underlings. It will be an easy task for us to take it over."

"Setpenkhamun already started ruling when he was only sixteen, Father. His parents are gone!"

"Who cares? You will be the man to unite this country! How does it feel?"

"I don't feel anything at all."

"What's the matter, Boy?"

"It's because of Dedyet. I really like her…"

"Does she like you too?"

"I don't know."

"You are an idiot, really!"

"Father, what- what are you implying?"

"You are the future pharaoh of Upper Egypt. My people already adore you! You are young, intelligent and fertile. She sits here with her brother in a kingdom he has ruined. This woman has nothing but a title. What a loser would you be if she turned you down? You! The son of Ra!"

"I don't know…"

"You don't know anything, do you?"

Ramses was sad and disappointed. "Are you angry with me, Father?"

"No. But it would be a lost chance if you wouldn't manage to make her fall for you. The journey we've made was exhausting and risky. I do not want to repeat it ever in my life. But we cannot forget, in only a few months and I will attend a journey that is the most dangerous one in this universe. The journey through the underworld."

Ramses sighed, now feeling even sadder than before. "There is no day passing in which you aren't talking about your death, Father."

"The gods have warned me! I would be an idiot if I didn't prepare already!"

Ramses faced the ground, about to sigh again.

"Listen, my son. This kingdom here is ruined. The ground isn't fertile. The people will not survive if Setpenkhamun keeps ruling. Take the princess as your wife and you will have a life full of praise, money and an endless amount of sons and daughters. It is your ultimate goal. And you're about to reach it just by doing what I've told you."

"I'm just worried about Dedyet… I don't want to hurt her…"

"Go after that lady and comfort her. Say you are sorry for what you said. It's an old trick – fertile women always fall for it."

"Thank you for your advice."

"Always, Son. Always."


	11. Flirty yet sensual

**Chapter 11: Flirty yet sensual**

Ramses slowly entered Dedyet's room, in hope of finding her there. Where else would she be anyway? It wasn't like she had friends to spend time with here.

"Dedyet?" He asked carefully when seeing her sitting on her bed.

She turned around. "Ramses. I am sorry."

"Wait, what?"

"I am sorry for my past behavior. I didn't behave like royalty at all and I wanted to apologize. Walking off like that was really rude of me. I won't do it again."

Ramses smiled immediately. "You are so wonderful."

She smiled. "Do you want to sit down with me?"

"Of course." He closed the door to make sure that they were alone and sat down next to her.

"Thank you for forgiving me. I have insulted you deeply…"

He raised an eyebrow. "You have?"

Dedyet looked up in surprise. "I asked if you were an informer, remember?"

"Oh yes. I'm still mad."

She looked down in shame. "I'm sorry," Dedyet mumbled shamefully, not looking him in the eyes.

Ramses chuckled. "I'm just kidding."

She looked up, embarrassed. "Oh! Heh…"

But Ramses focused on something completely else. "You have so beautiful lips," he mumbled, staring at them, his father's words in his mind.

Dedyet blushed and laughed it off nervously. "Thank you..."

Ramses didn't lay his eyes off of her lips, wondering if he should kiss her. Since she wasn't looking at his lips, Ramses deemed it off as too risky. "I never want to leave again," he instead whispered, creating a romantic atmosphere.

But Dedyet chuckled, apparently not in _the mood_ at all. "Well, that would be terrible for your father's kingdom. I mean, you are the crown prince and the future ruler. Who is even watching it while you and your father are gone?"

Ramses rolled his eyes, thinking about that. "Ugh, my brother."

"You don't like him?"

"He envies me a lot."

"Well, there is a lot to envy about you," she admitted, blushing.

"A little flirty, are you?" Ramses asked, wearing a smirk.

Dedyet chuckled, blushing deeply. She felt a tingle in her stomach as she looked him in the eyes.

Ramses saw this as a clear sign. He closed his eyes to meet Dedyet's lips.

Yes. They were kissing.


	12. A sad and sudden ending

**Chapter 12: A sad and sudden ending**

"Oh, Hathor has blessed me," Dedyet whispered right after their lips had stopped touching.

"With beauty, yes."

"But also with love."

The couple got interrupted before any other action of intimacy could happen. It was an angry pharaoh, storming into the room.

"Dedyet, these men are leaving!"

"What?!"

Two guards came inside and grabbed Ramses's arms. "Hey! Let go of me!" He yelled angrily. "I'm royalty!"

But they dragged him outside.

"What is happening?!" Dedyet asked her brother in shock after getting up herself, not knowing if she should scream or simply cry.

"This is a scandal! These men tried to take my throne away from me!"

It was then when Dedyet heard Ramses screaming her name in the chaos. She ran after him, leaving her brother behind.

"Ramses!"

"Dedyet!"

Ramses was thrown outside like dirty laundry.

Dedyet tried to hug him one last time, but the guards kept her away. She started to cry in despair and rage.

Before anything else could happen, Ramses found himself back in his litter, his father sitting on the throne in front of him, surprisingly calm.

"What is happening?!"

"Ramses, my son. This man is unpredictable!"

"What did he do?!"

"I think I might have prattled away…"

"You told him our _plan_?!"

"Well, he guessed the last bit himself." The pharaoh seemed incredibly careless.

"Seriously?! You have broken my heart!" Ramses responded in an overly emotional way.

"Ramses, you knew this woman for a day!"

"It was love, Father. Love!"

"You wouldn't know what love was even if it spit you right in the face! Now sit down and stop talking! The servants are bringing us home, back to where we belong! Away from this terrible dump!"

The litter began moving, but Ramses was anything but ready. "Stop calling it 'dump'! This is her home!"

The pharaoh rolled his eyes. "As long as you didn't impregnate this woman, I do not care about her future."

"Because you don't care about anyone! You only care about yourself!"

It was exactly this sentence that made his father raise his voice. "How dare you! I'm literally the _reason_ that you met this silly woman! I'm the reason you _exist_! I've wanted YOU to unite the two kingdoms! And what do I get? My excuse of a son, calling me selfish! ME! The pharaoh!"

Ramses' answer was quiet, almost sad. "I have met the woman I love. And you are dragging me away from her."

"Just two days ago, you called this place disgusting. You didn't want to go here at all. And now it's different because you saw a pretty woman?!"

"I didn't just see her. I got to _know_ her. And that's what counts. Beauty isn't about having a pretty face. It's about having a pretty mind, a pretty heart and a pretty soul."

"Where did you hear that nonsense?!"

"From Dedyet. The woman I love."

"And why didn't you impregnate her then?! If you love her so much?!"

"What was I supposed to do?! Force her to sleep with me?!"

"Yes."

The litter turned quiet. Ramses looked his father in the eyes, shocked about his answer.

The pharaoh crossed his arms in anger. "What?"

"Is that what you would have done in my place? Rape her?"

"Stop acting so surprised! You told me you love her!"

"But that doesn't mean she's my property!"

"You are just too gentle, that's all! A child would have been _perfect_ now. She'd find out she's pregnant and look for you. You'd get her through it, have a child and start a family."

"As if it's that easy."

"It's pretty easy, Son. As soon as they find out they're pregnant, they crawl back to you, looking for support. It's almost pathetic."

"I care about Dedyet. And I wouldn't do that to someone I care about." Silence. "Actually, I wouldn't do that to anyone!"

"Do you know how many female slaves get pregnant by their owners?!"

"You can't compare my girlfriend to a slave."

"Ramses. Women serve a certain function. No matter if they are royal or property."

"I can't believe that that's what you think about women, Father."

"Grow up and stop making a fuss about basic biology!"

"I have-"

"Ah, whatever. We will go home and you will marry your sister, just as planned."

"And then? Rape her too?"

Ramses' father slammed his fist against a table. "No, you idiot! I told you that it would have been smart of you to get Dedyet pregnant as you had enough time to do it!"

"Father, I know her since _yesterday._ "

"Do you see it now? Do you see how ridiculous you sound, saying that you love her?"

Ramses faced the ground, obviously humiliated.

"Love is unimportant. I have never loved your mother. Yet she has gifted me four children."

He looked up in anger. "And why? Because it's her function?!"

"Yes. That's exactly why."

Ramses didn't answer. Instead, he looked out of the window, realizing that every mile took him farther away from the person he loved.


	13. Back at home

**Chapter 13: Back at home**

"What happened next?" Neferia asked, overly excited.

"That fool came in and said that we would be leaving!" Ramses explained dramatically.

"And what did you do?" His younger sister asked.

Ramses leaned back, smirking. "I was fighting all the guards, of course."

Neferia snorted with laughter. "Ha! You can't even fight _me_!"

Ramses crossed his arms in anger. "I _can_!"

She smirked, her purple eyes flashing. "Then show me!"

Ramses got interrupted once again when his father came inside. "Ramses! What are you doing here with your sister?! My advisers are looking for you!"

"Oh."

"You can't even prepare to rule a kingdom, can you?" Neferia teased sassily.

"You have an appointment, too, Neferia," her father said strictly. "Your tutor is waiting for you in the main halls."

She rolled her eyes and groaned. "Annoying."

"Go to him now. He will not wait for you any longer."

Neferia stood up. "Okay."

"What was that?!"

"…Yes, Father," she corrected herself.

He nodded in approval.

The two men watched her leaving.

Ramses' father sat down next to his son once his daughter was out of sight. "Ramses."

"What is it, Father?"

"I have forgiven your impolite behavior that last time in the litter. The gods have advised me to."

Ramses had an extreme difficulty to not roll his eyes and groan. Yet he managed, answering, "Thank you, Father. I am highly grateful."

"You should be. I will not forgive such behavior again."

"I won't yell at you again, I promise."

"Good, good."

Right when Ramses wanted to stand up to leave the hall and meet his future advisers, his father held him back.

"There is still something I want to know," the rather old man said.

"What do you want to know, Father?"

"I know I have deemed it as unimportant, but do you still have contact to someone from Lower Egypt?"

Ramses faced the ground. "I do not."

"That's too bad. Uniting Egypt would have been historical."

"I don't know if I am ready for that just yet."

"Yes, you are. You must be ready for anything and everything as Egypt's future ruler."

"Father, can I ask you something?"

"You are supposed to meet my advisers now. What is so urgent?"

"About the marriage with Neferia…"

"Yes?"

"Did you mean that seriously?"

The pharaoh gave his son an angry look. "Have I ever not meant anything seriously?"

Ramses faced the ground another time, incredibly disappointed. "No, Father."

"Good. That should answer your question."

"Do you think she really wants to marry me?"

"That is unimportant."

"Because she's a woman?"

"No. Because there is no other option."

"Dedyet is an option…"

"Then where is she?"

Ramses seemed surprised. "In her palace in Lower-"

"How could you marry someone who isn't here?"

"Oh… Right."

"Go meet your advisers now."

"…Yes, Father."


	14. An unexpected message

**Chapter 14: An unexpected message**

It was evening when Ramses walked through the palace halls, on his way to his room to end the day. A servant walked towards him.

"Sire, there is a letter for you that has arrived today."

"A letter?"

Ramses grabbed the letter out of the servant's hand and opened it, astound by what he was reading.

His old mother, who was sitting nearby, suddenly spoke up. "What does it say?" She asked, her voice incredibly croaky.

But Ramses couldn't answer. He was flabbergasted. "Mother, please excuse me to my room."

"I won't. Now tell me what that letter says!"

"...I don't want to tell you."

"Argh! That rude behavior of yours will have consequences!" She yelled.

Ramses' younger brother entered the halls, a smirk on his face.

"You should let our poor mother alone, Ramses. She already has physical problems caused by the curse of Seth himself, and needs her eldest son to care for her instead of speaking in such a disrespectful way! Aren't I right, Mother?"

"Yes, my son, thank you," the old woman said. "You are my favorite child, you know that? Ramses, Neferia and Tut are all incredibly ungrateful and selfish. I just wish Seth would finally visit once again and teach them the lesson they deserve to be taught."

"I love making you happy because I know that you're the woman I owe my life to," Ramses' brother told her, continuing to suck up to his mother.

"Oh, I just wish you would become pharaoh instead of your older brother. You deserve it so much more than Ramses does!" The queen said, not caring at all that her oldest son stood nearby.

Ramses just rolled his eyes and quickly took his chance to walk to his quarters. Finally he could take a better look at that letter! It was from a very special someone.

 _My dear Ramses,_

 _You have been gone for a few days, but it's already feeling like a month to me. I miss you so incredibly much. Your smile, your eyes, your lips… And your kind words, of course. My brother is horribly angry because of you and your father. He keeps cursing about some kind of plan, I don't know what it is, and he is unbelievably mean to the innocent servants. There has been so much potential in the kingdom, but now it seems hopeless. I don't know what to do. My only expedient was contacting you. But yet, I don't know if you will ever even get this message or if you have long forgotten me already. Please, if you are reading this and I still mean something to you, then answer. I don't want to lose you…_

 _In love, Dedyet_


	15. Forbidden love

**Chapter 15: Forbidden love**

Ramses grabbed a piece of papyrus. He had to answer her. Immediately!

 _Dedyet, my love,_

 _It is astounding to me how you think I could have forgotten you. Your beautiful face won't ever leave my memory. I want to see you, but I know that you can't come here. Your brother's actions make me both sad and angry. I worry about you a lot because of it, hoping he won't abuse you, too. And, you know, I don't want to write you letters, knowing I might never see you again. But what other option do I have? Please, my dear, tell me about your situation in Lower Egypt and tell me if you have an idea how to get out of this messy situation. I fear I will never see you smile again._

 _Yours, Ramses_

It was bedtime, but Ramses left his room.

"I want you to send this away as soon as possible," he said to one of his servant as he gave him the finished letter.

The man faced the envelope with confusion, shocked that Ramses had written it himself instead of letting a scribe do the work. "Sire, is this an address here in Upper Egypt?"

"It is not."

"…I fear this will take some time."

"I want you to hurry."

He bowed down. "Yes, Sire."

"I will go to sleep now and count on you that my letter will be send away as soon as possible. However it gets to the certain address, I don't care. Just make it quick."

"Yes, my prince."

At 2 am, Ramses was still awake. This woman. She wouldn't leave his mind. Was this what true love felt like? Staying up all night, unable to sleep? Ignoring your own worries, thinking about that one person? Was this really it?

Or was his father right? Was love non-existent?


	16. Letters and plans

**Chapter 16: Letters and plans**

The days were passing horribly slowly, but Dedyet's answer came soon enough.

 _Dear Ramses,_

 _Your letter has made me cry. I feel with how much love and emotion it is written. But let me tell you, my life is a disaster. I love my brother a lot and I know that it seems harsh, but… Setpenkhamun keeps ruining everything. He doesn't know that we have contact and I'm scared that he'll find out. He is a bad ruler and sometimes also an impolite person. I sometimes wonder why I still live with him, but then I remember that I have no one else but him, and that we are the royal family of this kingdom. It would be selfish to just leave… And also dangerous. Talking about my own brother like that already has Seth's wrath on me and letting the people of this kingdom down would be a fatal mistake. I know that. I want to act in a morally good way. But how? What can I do? I don't have any authority over my brother. He won't accept my help. I think he feels weak, because he has had his sister ruling with him. But is that so bad? All I want to do is help the poor people in this kingdom. Who cares that there have been better pharaohs or royal families? Who cares that he is unable to rule alone? No one is here to teach him and… I am sorry for my rant. You might not understand me, because your family already is perfect. As you know, mine is not._

 _In love, Dedyet_

Ramses sighed after reading this new letter of hers. He wanted to do something and help her, but _how_? His father was _done_ with Lower Egypt. He couldn't unite the country himself. For that, he had to become pharaoh and marry Dedyet to make her leave her household. Her brother had to give up, so Egypt could be united and would grow to be a paradise!

Just that there were several obstacles in this plan… Dedyet wouldn't want to let her brother down. Ramses was not yet pharaoh. He didn't want to ask her to marry him yet, not without even _seeing_ her. And what about his father? He wouldn't agree, unless Ramses would unite Egypt himself without anybody's help. The distance was the biggest problem. And also, Setpenkhamun's persistence.


	17. Confusion and worry

**Chapter 17: Confusion and worry**

Ramses wrote a new letter, leaving his responsibilities as crown prince behind just this once.

 _My dear Dedyet,_

 _Your ranting is just fine with me. You can complain all you want as long as it makes you feel calmer. Sometimes it's better to let things out before the worry enters your beautiful soul. Let me tell you, my family is far from perfect. There is a lot of pressure set on us, but my parents would literally torture me for admitting this. You know, my father has no interest in Lower Egypt like he had before. He wants me to move on, but I am unable to do this, because I can't forget you. Maybe we have to accept everything the way it is. Keep contact through our letters and live our lives away from each other. Somehow. Do you understand me? I am sad about the way it is, but we need to face the fact that we may never see each other again. I hope we will in afterlife._

 _In love, Ramses_

He managed to get it send away immediately.

...

Just that he didn't get an answer. Not in the next few days and not in the next week either. Ramses really wondered why. Could it be that something had happened to her? Or was she done with him now? Maybe his letter had been too negative? Ramses prayed to Hathor – the goddess of love – that an answer would present itself soon. The wait was slowly but surely killing him.


	18. An unexpected return

**Chapter 18: An unexpected return**

It was a dark night when Ramses entered his bedroom. He heard a voice in the distance.

"Ramses!"

"Huh?"

The prince stepped outside, on his balcony, and almost got a heart attack. "Dedyet!"

She was sitting on the ground, her white linen dress dirty. "Ramses!"

He picked her up from the ground and she fell into his loving arms.

"What are you doing out here?!"

"I ran away."

"What?!" Ramses couldn't believe it. "Are you insane?! You can't just run away! Do you know how danger-"

She kissed his lips.

He kissed hers back.

"I missed you so much," she mumbled.

"Baby. Come inside."

They left the cold balcony, closed the door for warmth and privacy and sat down on Ramses' bed.

"You must tell me what happened!" Ramses demanded, still shocked that she was so suddenly sitting next to him.

"My brother found your letters…"

"Oh Ra…"

"I didn't have a chance to write you back! My brother was so furious that I had to leave! I was so scared… It took me several days to get here and that's why there was no answer. I'm so sorry."

"How did you manage to get here?"

"I covered up so no one would know it's me and convinced some men to take me with them to the South."

"Oh, Dedyet." He hugged her tightly.

She didn't hug him back. "I hate myself so much, Ramses."

He looked her in the eyes. "How could you hate someone so wonderful?"

Dedyet smiled sadly. "There is no hope anymore."

"Don't say that. Now that you are here, I can introduce you to my family."

"I don't mean our relationship, Honey."

"Is there anything _more_ important?"

"Yes. The wellbeing of thousands of people."

"I don't quite get it. Our marriage would make the complete kingdom happy!"

"And what about my kingdom? The place I grew up in? Set is on his own. I let everybody down."

"You didn't let anybody down, Dedyet."

"Thinking about the things my brother could do to the innocent, poor people…" She paused in shock.


	19. You know exactly what I mean

**Chapter 19: You know** ** _exactly_** **what I mean**

It was a rarity in Egypt, but it suddenly began to rain. A heavy storm was approaching.

Dedyet's eyes widened in fear. Quickly, she calmed herself down by starting to hum a melody.

Ramses listened for a short period of time until he asked, "Honey, what is this?"

"It's a song my mother taught me to sing when I'm afraid."

"That's...beautiful. It's breaking my heart that you cannot be with her."

"Oh, Baby…"

"What is it?"

"I don't know where she is."

"What? What do you mean?"

"She left us."

"When?"

"After my father died." Her eyes got wet and tear rolled down her cheek. "I didn't want to tell you before…"

"Oh, Dedyet… I am so sorry."

"He was killed when I was ten."

"Oh, to the gods!"

"We still don't know who the murderer is. But I think I don't even want to know."

"And after that, your mother ran away?"

"Even though she was a wonderful mother, she was mentally unstable. I don't know how much she has seen of my father's death." Another tear rolled down her beautiful face.

Ramses pulled her into a hug, suddenly feeling bad about the fact that he had bothered her about her parents before, basically demanding to know what had happened.

Dedyet sobbed. "I think she had an illness, but I can't tell. I was ten, for Ra's sake!"

"Your mother loves you, I know it. And your father does, too. He is living his afterlife now, next to the gods, seeing that you have grown up to be a beautiful and mature woman. Words can't express how proud he must be."

Dedyet smiled while crying. "You are such a kind person. I feel like I don't even deserve you."

"Nonsense. You deserve to be happy."

That just made her cry more.

"I am sorry, Dedyet. I wanted to cheer you up…"

"You have."

"It doesn't look like it."

The princess laughed. "You have taken all my loneliness away. And that within a day."

Ramses leaned over to kiss her, rubbing the tears away.

Dedyet whispered something in his ear. "Have you ever… You know…?"

"What?"

"If you've ever had _it_."

"Had what?"

Dedyet chuckled. "You know what I mean!"

"No, I seriously have no idea," he claimed, smirking.

She chuckled another time. "You know _exactly_ what I mean."

"Fine."

"So?"

"I've had it before," Ramses truthfully admitted.

Dedyet suddenly seemed insecure. "…Often?"

"Nah."

She nodded.

"Have you had it before?"

Dedyet faced the ground, blushing. "No…"

"And?"

She looked at him. "What?"

"Would you like to have it now?"


	20. Almost unmasked

**Chapter 20: Almost unmasked**

When Dedyet woke up the next morning, she was lying in Ramses' arms. There was only a blanket covering their unclothed bodies.

Wow. So much had happened the past week. She had fallen in love with a stranger. And not only was he a stranger, he was also the future pharaoh of Upper Egypt. He had turned her life around. Completely.

She had been this innocent, young girl, always by her brother's side. And now she was in the other kingdom. The kingdom her home place was enemies with. She had gone there without permission. And now she was in this man's bed. Naked. And she had spoken about her dead parents. To this man. And not only that. She was also in love with him.

A sudden knock on the door brought Dedyet out of her thoughts.

"Prince, it is time to get up. Are you ready yet? Your father expects you to be at the breakfast table in exactly thirty minutes."

Dedyet froze. She turned to her sleeping partner and shook him awake. "Ramses!" The young woman whisper-shouted. "There's someone at the door!"

Ramses calmly changed his sleeping position.

"Ramses!" Dedyet called, whisper-shouting.

"Mh?"

"There's someone at the door!"

The man's voice was heard another time. "Prince?"

Ramses suddenly got up in shock. He walked over to the door and opened it. "Thank you for the information. I expect you to leave now."

The servant was clearly surprised to see the crown prince naked. "Y-yes, your highness. The servants will prepare you."

"No."

"Uh, what?"

"I will do it on my own."

"But-"

"Goodbye," Ramses said before closing the door carelessly. He went back to bed and kissed his girlfriend.

"How was your night, my love?"

She answered him in her whisper-shouting voice. "Ramses! We were almost seen just then!"

"No worries. I got this."

She seemed upset.

"Aw… Didn't you like our first night together, darling?" Ramses assumed.

"No, that's not it."

"What's it then?"

"I feel like I don't belong here," she admitted.

"This is a palace and you are its future queen. How do you not belong here?"

Dedyet blushed.

"You are surely hungry, right?"

"There is no way I can eat breakfast with you and your family! What would they think?"

"I will bring you something up here, okay? I will make up an excuse to bring some food to my room or simply just steal it away. No one will see, I'm sure."

"I don't know if this is a good idea…"

Ramses smirked. "What do the priests say? No risk, no fun."

She crossed her arms. "No priest has _ever_ said that."

He kept smirking. "Whatever."

Dedyet sighed. "I hope you won't anger the gods with such behavior…"

Ramses stood up and grabbed something to wear. "Dedyet?"

"Yes?"

"You did like our night together, right?"

Dedyet smiled warmly. "Absolutely."

He turned to her. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. Why would I lie to you?"

"To make me feel better about my bedroom skills."

She smirked. " _This_ is absolutely unbelievable."

"What is?"

"A de Nile doubting himself."

He smiled. "I'm _not_ doubting myself."

She kept smirking. "Then why did you just ask that?"

 _"So that next time we can have a threesome."_

Dedyet's eyes widened. "Are you serious?"

Ramses smirked, thinking of his father's words. "Have I ever not been serious?"


	21. Spreading like wildfire

**Chapter 21: Spreading like wildfire**

Dedyet watched Ramses leaving. Once he was gone, she got out of bed herself, taking a look at the trail of clothes that was lying on the ground. She walked to the center of the room to pick up her dress (how did it get _there_?) when something unexpected suddenly happened: The door was opening!

Dedyet gasped and hid her private parts, seeing that it was not Ramses who stood in front of her. It was a thin woman, not that much older than Dedyet was herself.

The woman's eyes were widening. Obviously, she had not expected to see an unclothed woman in the prince's bedroom.

"Err… Hi," Dedyet greeted, blushing.

"Who are you and what are you doing in my brother's room?!"

 _Brother?_ "Oh, uh, I am Dedyet. We have spent the night together…"

"Are you a concubine?"

"No."

"Ew! A _servant_?"

"No."

"Oh my gods! Please don't tell me he slept with a slave!"

"He didn't."

After staring at Dedyet another time in a very critical way, the young woman closed the door and left.

"Tut!" Neferia called out, seeing her younger brother making his way to the dining room.

He turned around. "What is it?"

"There's a naked woman in Ramses' room! Her name is Dedyet."

"Seriously?!"

"Yes!"

"Can I see her?"

Neferia slapped her brother's cheek and then made her way downstairs. Talking to Tut proved to be completely senseless, once again.

The youngest prince stood there in confusion, wondering if he should casually walk up to Ramses room and opened the door to-

His thoughts were interrupted by his older (and Ramses' younger) brother, who was suddenly standing in front of him. "We are eating!" He said angrily. "What are you still doing here?! Mother is already _losing_ her mind!"

"There's a naked woman in Ramses' room, Neferia told me!"

"What?!"

"Her name is Dedyet. Do you think she is hot?"

He smirked. "This is soooooo forbidden. I'll tell Mother and Father."

"What? Why?"

"To make Ramses look bad. Now come downstairs."

"Oh, okay… Are you really sure we shouldn't check the room to-"

"NO!"


	22. Meeting once again

**Chapter 22: Meeting once again**

Two men entered the dining hall, one of them smirking, the other one looking rather confused.

"I am really sorry to bother this beginning breakfast," the smirking one announced. "But I feel forced to inform you, Mother and Father, that there is something toxic going on here. Anything you want to say to that, Ramses?"

"What?!"

 _"We know who is here with you."_

Their father spoke up quickly. "Who is it?! What is going on?!"

"Her name is Dedyet and she was last seen in Ramses' room," the smirking man said. " _Naked_ ," he added without any feelings of shame or guilt.

Ramses hid his face behind a hand, completely embarrassed.

Neferia gave her older brother a surprised look. "How do you know? I've only told Tut!"

Ramses didn't say a word. While there was chaos and many people discussing, he got up from his chair and walked up to his room, entering it quickly.

"Dedyet!"

"Ramses! There was a woman who came in here a few minutes ago! I wasn't even dressed!"

"It was my sister."

"Oh. Well..."

"Dedyet, you have to leave!"

But the door already opened.

"What a nice way to see you again, Dedyet," Ramses' father said when he turned to the door to close it once again.

"I am deeply sorry, your highness," the princess admitted.

"What are you doing here?"

"My brother and I were fighting terribly and… I had to leave."

"I am sorry to hear that. You know, we really don't like unannounced guests in our palace."

"Again, I am sorry." She faced the ground.

"Father, aren't you angry?"

Ramses' question got ignored. "Dedyet, tell me about your brother."

She looked up once again. "He has a really bad temper…"

"Oh, yes, I remember that fact. He is also very unpopular amongst his underlings, as far as I know. Is that true?"

"Yes, Sir."

"And why?"

"Well... Let me say it like that: he has many talents, but ruling is not one of them."

"You know how long I have been ruling my kingdom?"

"How long, Sir?"

"Twenty-five years."

"Wow. I am impressed."

"You may be able to imagine how experienced I am as a king and ruler."

"Yes, Sir."

"And I know that there is an expedient to the terrible situation your brother's kingdom is in."

Ramses interrupted him. "Father," he said through clenched teeth, knowing exactly where this was going.

"And what is it?" Dedyet asked him.

The old man smiled. "Imagine Egypt being united."

"Father!"

"Ugh, Son! Go leave the room if you are impatient!"

"Sir, I don't think my brother would agree. He wouldn't want to share his might and power."

"He wouldn't have to share it."

The princess seemed surprised. "No?"

"Ramses would rule on his own."

"But-"

"A marriage would make that possible."

"Father!"

"What?!"

"Leave my room! Please."

"I will not." He turned back to Dedyet. "So… What do you think?"

"…I wouldn't want to let my brother down."

"Ramses loves you. A lot. He has told me that you are the love of his life."

Dedyet smiled, her eyes shining.

Ramses used his hand once again to cover his face. This was so embarrassing…

"I will leave you two alone now," the pharaoh announced. "But I expect you to come into the dining hall in the next few minutes. It would be a shame if you wouldn't introduce yourself to the family, Dedyet."

"Oh… Okay…"

"I expect you to follow my orders, Ramses."

"Yes, Father."

"Really good."

And so he left.


	23. The truth

**Chapter 23: The truth**

"Ramses."

"Dedyet."

"I want you to explain."

"Explain what?"

"What your father just meant."

"…He said that we should marry. Didn't you listen?"

"Why did you visit our palace?"

"Uh…" _Crap._

"Was this all for show?"

"No!"

"To get power?"

"Dedyet-"

"Do you even _love_ me?"

"Of course I do!"

"You know that this was my first time."

"Your first time what?"

"My first time letting someone get close to me after all those years." Her eyes filled with tears.

"Dedyet. Please don't cry."

"I am crying because of my own ignorance."

"What do you mean?"

"I really thought I had found someone special." The first tear was now rolling down her cheek. "Someone to share anything with."

"You have!"

"No! You and your family only love power! My brother was right when he said that you wanted to take his throne away from him! And now I left him right when he needed me the most!"

"Let me explain!"

"Explain what?! That your family is addicted to power?! Willing to manipulate a young woman into marriage?!"

"No!"

"Was the plan to get me _pregnant_?!"

"No! Dedyet! My story is sad, too!"

She crossed her arms and looked him in the eyes, willing to give the prince a chance.

"My father and I have visited your palace, because he is…going to die soon."

Dedyet seemed surprised. "Really? Or is this another one of your lies?"

"No."

"Can you," she rubbed a tear away, "elaborate?"

"A few months ago, my father had an unappealing dream. Our feared god Anubis was looking at him with a stern glance, holding a papyrus that said 'Meet your ka at…' and a date in a few months. He was shocked when waking up and immediately kneeled down to pray. Somehow, the only good he could find connections to was Anubis. He talked to the priests and everyone is sure; on the said day, my father will die."

She looked at him in shock. "Ramses, I… I didn't know!"

"Since then, he keeps preparing."

"Maybe he should talk to some of the priests in Lower Egypt? They might have a different idea about this!"

"Dedyet." He looked her in the eyes. "You cannot change the plans of the gods. My father will die and Anubis will guide him."

"Is that why he wants to unite Egypt before his death?"

"Well, partly. He wants _me_ to do it! After his death, I will become pharaoh. And a pharaoh needs, you know…a queen."

"Why won't you marry your sister? Don't people do that in the South?"

"Well, yes, but I refused. And when I saw you… Wow. Just wow."

Dedyet smiled.

"You were just so beautiful."

"Thank you. Sometimes I wish people wouldn't only judge me for my looks, but I know it seems ungrateful – the gods themselves have told me."

"Do you think… Do you think that I am selfish?"

"Selfish?"

"Selfish for wanting to take away your brother's kingdom."

"It depends on the reasons," she told him. "Do you want to do it to stop the peoples' suffering? Or is it for your own benefit?"

"My father keeps saying that the de Niles are the greatest. I have grown up with that thought."

"Knowing your self-worth is important, Dear... It doesn't make you selfish."

"But I worry about myself more than about others."

"And what are you worrying about now?"

He looked at her. "I'm afraid that I will never see you again."

She smiled sadly. "I have no idea what we should do now, having so many problems at once."

"Now we will go eat breakfast. And then I will introduce you to my family. And after that, we will write your brother a letter. It will all be fine. I know it."

"Thank you, Ramses."

"For what?"

"For not letting me down."


	24. No sooner said than done

**Chapter 24: No sooner said than done**

"Family? This is Dedyet."

Tut smirked. "Is she your girlfriend?"

Ramses and his father had a few seconds of eye contact, before the crown prince announced, "Yes."

The family was fine with Dedyet staying for some days. It was only Ramses' mother who remained angry about the unannounced guest.

As breakfast was finished, Dedyet and Ramses went looking for a quiet place to write the letter. It turned out to be easier said than done, though…

"I don't know what to write," Dedyet admitted, feeling rather anxious. The couple was sitting in Ramses' private quarters.

"Tell him how you feel," the crown prince advised.

"About what?"

"About us and the kingdom."

Dedyet nodded and slowly began writing.

 _My dear brother, Setpenkhamun,_

 _It is me – your sister – writing to you. You may have noticed my absence, but don't worry, I am safe where I am now. With Ramses and his father in Upper Egypt. The kingdom here is beautiful, even though I haven't seen a lot of it yet. Ramses' family has greeted me with open arms. I am sure they will do the same for you, once you visit… IF you visit. There is a man here I am in love with. Ramses cares deeply for me and Lower Egypt, even. His father has a lot of experience when it comes to ruling a kingdom. He has been ruling this one for no less than twenty-five years! And he said that he is willing to help us. Please – in the name of the gods - write me back if you are interested. The people in Lower Egypt need a change… It is highly important._

 _Yours, Dedyet_

Once done, the young princess asked, "Do you think this is good?"

"If you wrote it with an open heart, then yes," her lover answered.

Dedyet sighed. "I think it's barely mediocre."

"Would you allow me…to look through it?"

"Oh, of course."

She handed him the letter and the room turned quiet.

Dedyet sighed before Ramses was even finished reading. "I think I should write a new one… Or maybe a scribe should. These words will never have him seek help."

After reading, he looked her in the eyes. "Dedyet?"

"Yes?"

"What do you think is wrong with the letter?"

Dedyet bit her lip. She appreciated honesty, but felt sad realizing that the person she loved was about to criticize her. The princess faced the ground, shamefully admitting, "Everything…"

Ramses seemed surprised. "Really?"

She looked up to him. "You _like_ it?"

"I don't see what's wrong with it."

She rolled her eyes, smirking. " _Thanks_."

They both chuckled before giving each other a kiss.

Ramses stood up, the letter in his hand. "I think we should send it away now. It is better not to lose time, because of the urgency of this situation."

But she still seemed insecure. "Do you really think it's good?"

"Dedyet, your letter is fine and well. If he doesn't accept our offer, it's his problem, not ours."

"I was just thinking that maybe I could have written it in a more appealing way…"

"No. What else could you even write?"

"I don't know… Do you think he will answer?"

"Only time may tell, my darling."


	25. Death threats and a question

**Chapter 25: Death threats**

The letter was sent away within minutes, but it had taken several days for a new one to arrive. Days in which the couple had snuggled, laughed and talked. The young princess felt loved and understood, believing to have found a new home and a new family. A complete new life, even!

Everything was wonderful until a dirty, half ruined letter was handed over to her.

 _Dedyet!_

 _I have no time for whatever nonsense you are writing! Come back home or stay where you are! The people in Upper Egypt are evil, every single one of them. If you are too naive to believe me, then it is your own stupidity which makes you stay on the side of Seth. Be sure that he will find and haunt you! I have placed a curse on you and this pathetic family, hoping you will all get your bloody payback! Lower Egypt is the only kingdom blessed by Isis herself. It is our home and exactly where we both belong. If you are too dumb to understand that, believing that you want to marry this man, then go ahead. Be a traitor and this man's slave! But don't wonder if the gods will punish you for this once you are dead! Your heart is getting heavier with each day, so heavy that Ammit will have fun eating it once you have reached her. Which will hopefully be soon as I, Lower Egypt's admired pharaoh, would have no problem with. You hear me? Your death would be a deserved punishment for your horrendous crimes! You are underserving of the life you were given. Every single demon and curse will lead you to death for letting a stranger manipulate you into a toxic marriage, leaving your older brother behind in the process._

 _Shame on you! Pharaoh Setpenkhamun_

Dedyet broke down in tears.

Several servants surrounded her in panic.

Ramses on the other hand only had eyes for one thing. "What _insolence_!" He cursed after reading the letter. "Calling my family pathetic?! This man will _die in a fire_!"

"My brother is so terrible," Dedyet sobbed. "We always got along, more or less. But now that I'm with you, he is such a tyrant."

"The coward is afraid of losing his power," Ramses told her. "He wants everything to be like before we met. But the people in Lower Egypt need help. And I doubt your brother is able to provide it."

"Ramses. What do we do now?"

"We marry, unite Egypt and show your brother that love is stronger than hate."

"Do you… Do you really mean it?"

"Dedyet. I'd marry you anytime."

She got up, the servants quickly leaving. "I love you, but… I'm afraid of making a mistake. I don't want to let my brother down! He has suffered so much!"

"And this is why you refuse to live your life the way you want to? Because of _him_?"

"I don't know…"

"He wrote he doesn't care if you _die_!"

"Don't remind me of it…"

"Dedyet. Think of all the people in Lower Egypt. They need our help."

"I know…"

"I have held it back for days…"

She looked at him, surprised. "What have you held back?"

"Dedyet."

"Yes?"

"Do you want to marry me?"


	26. A final answer

**Chapter 26: A final answer**

One hour later.

Dedyet tilted her head to the side and gazed upon her smiling partner. He did nothing but smile at her in a warm and loving way.

Dedyet smiled back at him.

"Are you still sad?" He asked.

"No…"

"I think you are. You just don't want to tell me."

She smiled sadly. "Don't you think it's weird that instead of solving a problem, we are here in bed, kissing and… _touching_?"

"Not at all."

"But-"

"I cherish every second with you, my love."

"I cherish every second with you, too. And I think that I know it now. Actually, I _know_ that I know it now."

"What do you know now?"

She smiled, before whispering, "The answer to your question…"

"What question?"

"Oh, Rammy."

He rolled his eyes. "Don't call me that name! You know I don't like it."

Dedyet laughed. "You have asked me the most important question ever."

"I have?"

"Yep."

"When?"

She rolled her eyes. "Before we undressed."

"You mean, now- or?"

 _"Ramses."_

"Yes?"

"I finally know the answer to the question!" Dedyet seemed all excited.

"Then say it, for Ra's sake!"

 _"Yes."_

"Huh?"

"The answer is yes."

He rolled his eyes. "And what was the question?"

"The question was 'Do you want to marry me?'."

Silence.

"Oh, Dedyet. I love you."

She chuckled. "You're an idiot."

"Whatever. At least I'm a rich idiot. And soon also a married one. It's an incredibly lucky day."

"Ramses?"

"Yes, Dear?"

"I'm a little afraid."

"Why are you afraid?"

"Because of my brother."

"I won't let him harm you. I promise."

"Hm…"

"You shouldn't worry about him, really. It is wasted time. It's your life and only you can decide what to do with it."

"It's just that we are practically taking his job away from him. We are ruining his _life_."

"He is a bad ruler and it serves him right that we'll take over."

"'Take over'? That sounds horrible."

"Don't worry, okay? Everything will turn out to be just fine."

"But not for him."

"I _really_ don't care."

"With me gone, he'll lose his last bit of power!"

"Maybe he should have thought about that before treating you like dirt."

"Ramses!"

"What? It's true."

"He has never treated me like dirt!"

 _"He literally wished for you to die."_

Dedyet crossed her arms. "Fine… Maybe he has treated me like dirt _once_."

"And what about the time when he-?"

"Ugh, I get it, Hun. You are right. _Again_."

Ramses smiled triumphantly before standing up. "I am afraid I have to leave you alone now, my love." He gave her a kiss.

"I admitted that you're right and that's the only thing you wanted. Now you are leaving me alone to be with someone else who compliments you. This is _so_ de Nile-ish."

They both chuckled.

"Can you at least tell me where you're going?"

"Like you've said. I am looking for someone else to compliment me."

The couple chuckled another time.

"No, Hun, I mean it for real this time," Dedyet spoke out, smiling.

Ramses rolled his eyes just thinking about where he would be going. "My father and I are speaking through the future economy of this kingdom. You know, about the grain, future monuments and the farmers. It's all pretty boring but important for a future pharaoh to know."

"Are you actually… _excited_ about becoming pharaoh?"

"There's not a date yet, so…"

"I saw some priests already preparing a ceremony!"

"Ugh. They are overly excited. Maybe there is nothing happening to my father, after all. He seems healthy enough. Let's just hope that it will stay this way."

"Yes. Let's hope my brother's curses won't reach your innocent father…"


	27. A strange conversation

**Chapter 27: A strange conversation**

Dedyet got dressed in her white linen dress and some jewelry and made her way outside the room. She walked downstairs and straight ahead, seeing the entrance door that was kept safe by several strong guards. Quite unsure who to talk to, Dedyet sat down on a nearby chair and watched an angry prince enter the halls.

"Ugh, dumb Father," the man cursed quietly. "And dumb line of succession. This damn- _Oh!_ "

Dedyet smiled nervously once she was looked at by the stranger. "Hello."

The man blinked. "Hello?"

Right when wanting to start a conversation, Dedyet was interrupted.

"Are you a concubine?"

"What?"

"A nurse?"

 _"Err-"_

"I am sorry, Lady, but there are no children in here. The youngest prince is my brother and he's already sixteen."

Dedyet smiled nervously. "Oh, err, I am Dedyet. No nurse or servant or whatever."

The man recognized her name and face. "Oh!"

"I…live here now. Since quite some time, actually. Have you…forgotten?"

"You are stunningly beautiful."

Dedyet blushed nervously. "Oh! Heh, thank you are. And you are…?"

"Single."

Silence.

"Oh!" He blushed deeply. "How rude of me not to introduce myself! It's just that everyone in the kingdom already knows me."

"You are Ramses' younger brother, right?"

"I am next in line to the throne."

"Oh, but…isn't Ramses-".

"It doesn't matter. It's me who'll take his place."

Dedyet raised an eyebrow. "Why would you take his place?"

"Oh! Heh!" Quickly, he changed the subject. "You are not from here, are you?"

"I am from the other side of the country. Lower Egypt."

"Ew! That's a barbaric hellhole. _Tell me about it._ " He posed dramatically.

Dedyet felt insulted by this man's disrespect. She was ready to defend her side of the country and said, "My home is anything but-"

But he interrupted her. "How unbelievable that such a beautiful woman can come from such an ugly place."

"Well, actually-"

"You are the King's daughter, right?"

"His sister."

"Being second in line is so annoying, isn't it? People have more rights than you just because they are older!"

"Err, I think age doesn't really matter that much…"

"Interesting, _really_ interesting."

Dedyet nodded, all of a sudden remembering that the man she was talking to had left before the start of their breakfast last week, claiming to be needed in other businesses. So he hadn't really seen how everyone had been fine with having her here. Somehow, this man seemed mysterious.

"What do you like so much about my brother? There are many men prettier than him. Namely me."

"Oh! Err, I don't know… I think it's his personality I fell in love with first."

Successfully, the prince hid a face showing some sort of disgust. "And now? Any plans?"

She smiled warmly, her eyes sparkling. "We are about to marry."

 _"What?!"_

"Huh?"

"How old are you?!"

"Sixteen. Why?"

"My brother is _way_ too old for you!"

"Hm, we have never really talked about that. But as I said, I think-"

The man's eyes widened. "I have to go."

"Oh. So soon?"

"Yes. Goodbye." He kissed her hand and left the hall.


	28. Wedding bells

**Chapter 28: Wedding bells**

Dedyet kept sitting where she was for a few more minutes until she saw Ramses and his father, walking towards her. She was honestly surprised that they seemed to be done with their planned work already. Once the two stopped in front of her, Ramses spoke up loudly. He was obviously making an announcement!

"Father! Dedyet and I, we have something to tell you," he said, his voice filled with pride.

Dedyet's eyes widened. _Uh? What was he talking about?_

"We are going to marry."

Ramses' father couldn't hold his happiness back. "My son! That is great! Congratulations!"

"Thank you, Father," Ramses answered in an emotionless but somehow rather proud way.

"Congratulations to you too, Dedyet!" The pharaoh said to her, obviously happy.

"Oh... Thank you, Sir."

"Any messages from your brother?"

She gulped, thinking of the death threats he had send her. "He keeps behaving really stubbornly…"

"Ah, well. His loss. Am I right, my son?"

"Yes, of course, Father. You are a de Nile. Have you ever not been right?"

The man both smirked at each other.

Dedyet's eyes widened once again. Somehow, she felt confused and…upset.

"We must tell _everyone_ that you are going to marry! The _whole_ kingdom will _celebrate_!" Ramses' father said excitedly.

Dedyet blushed. "Do you really think so, Sir?"

"Yes, of _course_!"

"Maybe we should take it slow," Dedyet mumbled.

"Dedyet doesn't like change," Ramses said to his father, claiming to know everything about her. "I will try to comfort my future wife somehow."

 _"Ramses. I'm right here."_

"Oh, Beautiful, there is no need to be afraid!"

Dedyet rolled her eyes. The de Niles were a really warm-hearted family… Yet, it was weird how everyone behaved differently if Ramses' father or his mother was around. As if they all had two faces…

The pharaoh spoke up once again. "I will leave you two lovebirds alone for now and make the fantastic news public, so that we can all celebrate together. This marriage will be arranged in _no_ time."

"Yes, Father," Ramses answered, nodding. "I assume Neferia already knows I'm not going to marry her?"

"Oh, I haven't told her yet – it's not like her feelings are a big concern of mine – but a servant will do so immediately." The pharaoh turned to one of his servants who bowed down, leaving the halls quickly, in search of the prince's sister.

 _"Ramses!"_ Dedyet said when seeing her partner's father leave.

"What is it, Hun?"

"Have you heard how he talked about Neferia? She's his own and only daughter and it sounds as if her feelings don't even matter to him! Does she even have a _say_ about her future?!"

"No. I haven't talked to her in a while, either. You haven't met her yet, have you?"

"No."

"She's always letting the male servants compliment her, the little, vain Neferia."

"There is something else, too."

"Yes?"

Dedyet spoke out bravely, "This is all going too fast."

"Ah, I can't wait to hold our first child in my arms!"

 _"Ramses!"_

"What? Are you okay?"

"No. This time, I am _not_ okay."

"What's wrong with you, my love?"

Now, the princess was a little angry. "I want to talk to my brother about this marriage!"

Ramses couldn't believe it. "What?! Why? He will only talk you out of it!"

Quickly, Dedyet calmed down again. "I want to talk to him one last time. Face to face, you know? He needs to know that this is serious."

Ramses bit his lip. "...I understand."

"I'm so sorry, Ramses, but… Could I leave already?"

 _"Now?"_

"Yes."

"...We can have the servants bring you in our litter the next morning. If that's _really_ what you want."

"Thank you, Honey." She gave him a kiss. "I think in a marriage, it's really important that both partners support each other. I'm glad we are already practicing."

"There's just one thing."

"Yes?"

"Don't come back saying you don't want me anymore." He was cold. _Icy_ cold.

A few seconds of silence.

"Why is it that you want to marry me so fast? I feel like we barely had time to get to know each other," Dedyet told him.

The answer came quickly. "I feel like I know you better than anyone."

Another seconds of silence until Ramses asked, "Do you want to travel back all alone? I am afraid that your brother won't let you go again once you arrive."

"I don't know. I don't feel so good…"

Suddenly, he seemed worried. "Is it because of me?"

"No… I've talked to your brother and he is...weird."

"Who? Tut? You should give him some time. He's only sixteen."

"But I am sixteen, too!"

"Girls are more mature than boys. This is common knowledge."

"I didn't talk to Tut, Ramses. It was your other brother. He complained about being second in line and told me I was beautiful, yet interrupted me every time I wanted to say something. But once I told him that we are about to marry, he said he had to leave again."

 _"Ugh."_

"What is it?"

"Jealousy. He's jealous of me."

"Oh. Okay…"

"Please, forget about him. Should we visit the garden? As you know, it's way more beautiful than the one you have in the Northern palace."

"I'm sorry to kill the mood, but… I think I just want to go to sleep."

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you ill?"

"No. Just tired and a little stressed."

"But of course! Preparing a royal wedding is incredibly stressful. Luckily, we have the servants and priests to do most of the work."

 _"...Yes."_

More silence in the halls, until Ramses spoke up.

"Do you… still love me?"

"What? Of course!"

"Good. Sweet dreams then, my wife." For the first time, he kissed her forehead.

"Thanks, Hun…"

"I can't wait to _finally_ marry you," Ramses added a last time.

Dedyet smiled at him, and left the halls.

Ramses had never seen a smile that fake before.


	29. Under control

**Chapter 29: Under control**

The palace was quiet until an overly excited man began jumping around like a five year old. "YES! Yes! Yes! _Yes!_ "

"Please don't be so loud, Father. Dedyet just went to sleep!"

The man stopped jumping and raised an eyebrow. "To… _sleep_? For Ra's sake, the sun didn't even set yet!"

"She didn't feel good."

"Whatever. You are married soon, my son!"

"Father. Can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"Why exactly are you so happy? Is it because I'm in love or because of the kingdom?"

"Ramses, _you_ will unite Egypt!"

"Oh, so it's the kingdom, huh?"

"You don't need to be in love to marry someone. How often have I told you that?"

"I am, though. I _am_ in love."

"That's good as long as you aren't blinded by it!"

"I'm not…"

"My son. What is in focus now?" Obviously, this was a catch question to see if Ramses was paying attention.

"My marriage."

"And after it?"

"The takeover."

" _Exactly_. I am so happy that our plan is working! After my death, you will have to thank me every time again and again! It is me who has made this possible. _Me!_ My ka will leave my body, but there will be justice. Once through the underworld, I will sit right next to the _most_ important gods! And as soon as you die, my son, you will, too."

"I hope really, really hope so…"

"Once Dedyet is married to you, there is no going back! She finally won't be able to ruin the plan anymore, then!"

"Father, could you please stop pretending I'd be tricking her into it?"

He wasn't even listening, instead saying, "Soon, she will be _pregnant_!"

"Ugh…"

"You know that it is your duty to get her pregnant right after marriage, right?"

"Yes."

"You are a loser if you don't manage to do that. And we – as the de Niles – are _not_ losers. We are completely _flawless_! Also, fertile."

"Well, Father, about the takeover... How _exactly_ is it going to happen?"

"I die, you marry his sister – take away his power so that he is left with nothing – and convince his underlings to hate him. Which will probably be easy. I mean, they dislike him already."

"Oh. Okay…"

"You will naturally marry near the border. Both kingdoms will be invited. And after that," he laughed darkly, "you will have _one_! And it'll be _yours_! The gods will watch and never leave our god-like side! Every afterlife of anybody in the de Nile family will _forever_ be secured!"

"What about her brother's palace?"

"You can get rid of that trashy hole."

"It's where Dedyet grew up in…" Ramses mumbled.

 _"Anything else to waste my time with?"_ his father asked, crossing his arms while raising a disapproving eyebrow.

Ramses quickly took this chance to talk about some other worries. "Do you think the people in Lower Egypt will like me?"

"But of course! You will only show your best side at the marriage ceremony. We will prepare a speech for you and these peasants will love you in _no_ time!"

"I don't think Mother is so pleased about all this…"

"Your mother is old and grumpy. But do you know what she is, too? Power-hungry. And power is something our family will have more of in only a few _weeks_! I don't know if I will still be there to see it. But I don't care either way, as my afterlife is granted!"

"There is something else I need to tell you, Father. It's kind of important…"

He rolled his eyes, allowing Ramses to continue.

"Dedyet wants to go back home tomorrow."

" _What?!_ Why?!"

"She wants to talk to her brother about the marriage."

"Hasn't she said yes already?!"

"She has, but she wants to talk to him anyway."

"Why?!"

"I don't know."

"That can't be good. We will stop her from going."

"But-"

"It's good that you told me, so I might be able to arrange something."

"…But the plan doesn't involve you making her sad, does it?"

"It's rather the circumstances that will make her sad."

 _"Father!"_

The pharaoh seemed careless. "What?"

"I don't want that…"

"Don't be so silly, Boy!"

"I will manage to make her stay on my own, okay? No need for you to _arrange_ anything."

"Alright, if you say so. I just hope she is a fertile woman."

"Yes."

"Oh, is she?"

"I don't know."

"You could already get her pregnant _now_. It would be a great way to control her!"

"Father, I _really_ love this woman."

"And that's no reason to get her pregnant?"

"I don't _want_ to control her…"

"Let me tell you something. If this woman acts out on you and suddenly decides that marrying you is nothing she wants, she will go back to her brother and uniting Egypt will be _impossible_! _And you know how angry your father gets if he doesn't reach his goals, right?_ "

"…Right, Father."

"Good. And please take this seriously. You know, if she won't get pregnant within a few months, she is probably infertile. This way, you'd have to get your sister pregnant."

"Oh, gods…"

"Now go up to your wife. And don't forget what I told you!"

"…Yes, Father."

Ramses turned around to go, and the last thing he heard before leaving the halls was a darkly hissed _"Stop her from leaving."_


	30. Silly distractions

**Chapter 30: Silly distractions**

He opened the door to his bedroom quietly. Ramses walked inside, seeing that his girlfriend was already asleep. He undressed and went to bed himself – carelessly, without his servants preparing him – thinking about what his father had told him. He didn't want to _force_ Dedyet into anything! He didn't want her to end up unhappy! But his father's will was strong and uniting Egypt was something Ramses really wanted, too. It would be a historical event happening because of _him_!

Once in bed, he looked at his soon wife. He only saw her back, but even that part of her body was a truly beautiful one. How would he manage to make her stay here tomorrow? Was she – Hathor forbid – not _sure_ about the marriage?

Ramses woke up the next morning, having Dedyet sit on his lap.

"Good morning," she said sweetly. "You are a long sleeper, are you?" The princess chuckled.

His eyes widened, _immediately_ thinking of his father's words. "I see you are already dressed, my love."

"Yes. Have you forgotten that I want to leave today? We have talked about it yesterday."

"Err, _well_. How about you stay here for a little while longer and meet all the servants? It will most likely be them who will prepare you for our wedding."

"What about my _actual_ servants? The ones in the palace in Lower Egypt?"

"They can work for us too, if you want them to."

"Will we move out of this palace and have a completely new one?"

"Yes. We will live wherever you want in the country and start our own family. It's all really exciting, isn't it?"

"I'm not so sure..."

"About marrying me?"

"No! Ramses, I _love_ you. And I want to marry you, too. If it just wasn't for the pressure…"

"What pressure?"

"I want to be alone with you. Alone in our palace, and live in peace. Without all this... _stress_."

"But that's how it'll be in only a few weeks!"

"Hmm… I think you don't understand me. But that's fine." She smiled weakly. "You don't have to understand or agree with everything I think or say."

"But... I do!"

"Hun... Would you mind if I left already?"

"D-don't! Don't go!"

"What? Why not?"

"I don't want you to leave. It's because…I love you so much."

She smiled. "I love you very much, too, but you know, we will see each other again soon. And we can always write letters, too!"

"Mh."

"Is there anything wrong?"

"I think my father still wants to talk to you."

"Oh, I don't think anyone else but us is awake yet. We went to sleep quite early, you remember?"

"Do you think I should come with you?"

"No…"

"No?"

"I want to talk to my brother alone, I think. It's probably for the better."

"What will you tell him?"

"That we are engaged."

"And what else?"

"I will see, okay?"

"Okay…"

"You said your servants will bring me?"

"Uh, no."

"No?"

"Oh, err, _do you hear that?_ "

The rooms were quiet.

"What?"

"I said 'Do you hear that?'," Ramses repeated loudly, desperately attempting to buy some time.

"I have heard you the first time, too, Honey. But the halls seem quiet."

"It's probably the cat."

"What cat?"

"The cat in the palace."

"Oh, there's a cat in the palace?"

"Yes, yes! You should meet her now! Like, _immediately_!"

"Why are you so weird to me?"

"Oh, just because... _I think you like cats!_ "

Dedyet smiled, obviously confused. "Well, who doesn't like cats?"

"I know a story of someone who doesn't! Do you want to hear it?"

"No, tha-"

"Once upon a time, there was...a grumpy lady. She was grumpy, because one day, her cat left and-"

"Oh, I almost forgot!"

"Forgot what?"

"That I want to leave!" She gave him a kiss.

"N-no! Dedyet!"

Dedyet seemed slightly annoyed as she turned back to Ramses. "What is it now?"

"...I want to sleep with you."

Her eyes widened. _"Now?"_

"Yes."

"Sorry, I _really_ have to go early. The journey takes so long, you know?"

"Have you travelled often? How many times eaxctly?"

Dedyet rolled her eyes before standing up. "That's it, Ramses."

"What?"

"I'm leaving."

"But-"

"Whatever you were trying to do, it didn't work."

"Dedyet!"

"Goodbye, my love."


	31. Outraged

**Chapter 31: Outraged**

It was evening when Dedyet arrived. She got out of the litter and walked towards the palace she grew up in, ten de Nile servants behind her.

The Lower Egyptian guards were surprised to see her returning. "Princess! You are back!"

"I certainly am."

"We- we didn't know where you were and how you vanished!"

"The only thing that matters is that I am fine, yes?"

"Where is this litter from? Who has brought you here?!"

"I would like to go inside and see my brother now. Is that okay for you? You can trust me that the people who have brought me here are absolutely peaceful."

"Oh! Of course, your highness! We are sorry that we have bothered you in such an inappropriate way..."

"You are forgiven." Dedyet smiled before walking inside.

The princess was nervous. "Set?" She called, moving towards the throne room.

And that was – without surprise – exactly where she found him.

"Dedyet! You are back!?"

"Yes. I wanted to talk to you."

"Did you finally dump this barbaric man from the other side?"

"No. We are engaged."

 _"What?!"_

"This is what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Oh, you little slut!"

 _"W-what?"_

"Leave the palace, you worthless traitor!"

"Set, what are you saying?!"

"I might lose my kingdom because of you!" Setpenkhamun was now yelling.

"I know… If I go, you lose a lot of power, because I have done so much to-"

 _"Quiet!"_

"...I came here to ask you if you are willing to find a peaceful solution for this problem."

"Kill him and take over _his_ kingdom instead!"

"You… You don't mean this seriously, do you?"

"It doesn't matter. You'd rather want _me_ dead than him, wouldn't you?!"

"Set! I wouldn't want _anyone_ dead! I love you as much as I love Ramses! Just in two really different ways."

"You don't even know what love _is_!"

"And you do?!"

"Yes! Better than you, you slut!"

"Stop insulting me! Please!"

"You bring shame over our family!"

"But Set! It's only _us_!"

"Well, then you bring shame over _me_. The people. The palace. The _country_."

Dedyet was hit badly by her brother's words. "I am really hurt by what you're saying," she admitted.

"What did that guy do to you that makes you claim to love him now, all of a sudden? Did he compliment you in a special way? Was that it?!"

"We've spend many romantic hours together. He even told me…" She smiled warmly, her eyes sparkling, "He even told me that he loves me more than anyone else on this world. That's really what he said!"

"Dedyet, you were there for only a few _days_!"

"I _had_ to leave this place! What else could I have done? You were treating me so badly!"

"Behave in a mature way and talk to me about things. _That's_ what you could have done!"

"That's what I'm trying to do _now_ , but you don't seem to _listen_!"

He looked away from her, focusing on the palace walls. "And this is the end."

"...What?"

"This is it. One random guy managed to ruin my kingdom."

"Set, it has been ruined before. By _yourself_!"

 _"Shut your mouth!"_

"Everyone makes mistakes and it's important to learn to accept them. No one is flawless. So why can't you do so, too, Set? Why can't you _accept_ your mistakes?"

"I don't make mistakes. Only you do. By leaving me alone now. Do you have an idea what these barbaric people from the other side will _do_ _to me_ once my kingdom is in their hands?!"

"Please don't call the de Niles barbaric. They are very friendly people. And you can work closely by Ramses' side, as his chief adviser or so. He could teach you a lot about ruling and we could all live together! In peace. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

"No. That would be ridiculous."

Dedyet faced the ground, obviously disappointed. "It's the only idea I have."

Set suddenly sounded optimistic. _"I have an idea, too!"_

She looked up to him. "One that includes violence?"

"No."

"What is your idea, then?"

"How about you just _forget about him_?!"

"I love this man. And our kingdom is in ruins. Don't you see how the people are _suffering_?"

"The last thing I care about is the well-being of a worthless peasant!"

"Set. You don't understand. It's _many_ of them. Everywhere here. And they are _starving_. Children are _dying_! Every day. Because of you."

Set began to yell again. _"Lies!"_

"I know that it has never been your intention, but this is the sad and harsh truth. It needs to be said."

"You don't know anything! You are a woman. A slutty one, even!"

"Set! What makes you say such a terrible thing about your own sister? I have always loved you! It's just that-"

"Loved me?! You left your safe home to travel away illegally and sleep with a man you barely know! You _aren't_ my sister anymore."

Suddenly, Dedyet was in tears. "What?"

Her brother kept yelling. _"Didn't you hear me?!"_

A tear rolled down the princess' cheek.

"Oh dear Hathor!" Her brother cursed. "Stop crying!"

"Maybe it was goddess Hathor. The voice in my heart."

"You are crazy. _Insane_ , even."

Dedyet looked him in the eyes, about to be direct. "Set. You would be the stronger king of Egypt if you wouldn't suck at ruling. You are unpopular amongst your underlings and that's why they will gladly accept _any_ change! The people are desperate. And their land is falling apart while you sit here and watch. You are the worst king there has been so far. I am so sorry to say this, to my own brother even, but it really is the truth. If we don't do anything, Lower Egypt – our dear and loved home place – will fall into pieces. And just because of your stubbornness. There are innocent people, paying for your mistakes. Do you think _that_ is fair?"

It were these words that made Setpenkhamun slap his sister across the face.

Several female servants gasped in the background, not believing what they had just seen.

Dedyet let a hand feel her bleeding nose, completely shocked and unable to speak.

 _"Leave my palace, you disgusting concubine!"_

And so she left. This time, bleeding and in tears.


	32. Liar, liar

**Chapter 32: Liar, liar…**

On the other side of the country, the de Niles were enjoying their royal dinner. The day had been peaceful enough for Ramses until-

"My son, I have not seen Dedyet in the halls yet. I know I have been really busy today, as you have too, but where is she? Not feeling well again?"

Ramses gulped. His three siblings looked over to him, as well as his mother. "Uhm… Father. _Dedyet is…_ " He bit his lip.

Ramses' evil brother looked at him with a smirk. "What? Did she leave you again? Dump you for a better guy?"

"Ramses!" His father snapped. "Don't tell me that you let her travel back to Lower Egypt! If this is the case, I will-"

" _No_ , Father! Dedyet is in my room as no one here has giving her a bedroom of her own. She feels really sick and has to vomit quite often. We are both excited as she might be pregnant." ...The lie had just slipped out.

"Ramses," his mother said. "Is this true?"

"It is, Mother. Dedyet and I have recently worked on our wish to marry and have children. We cannot wait to reproduce!"

"My son," his father announced. "We are all really proud."

Ramses could see the confusion in Neferia's and Tut's eyes. Another obvious thing was his third sibling's anger.

"Father! This isn't fair!"

"Why is this not fair? Your brother is the future pharaoh of our kingdom! He will soon move out and live with his wife together! How is that _not fair_?"

"Dedyet is way too pretty to want someone like Ramses!"

"Excuse you!" Ramses snapped. "Jealous… _argh_!"

"Children, please!" Their mother interrupted.

"It is so unfair that Ramses will be ruling just because he is the oldest!" The de Nile prince said angrily.

"How _dare_ you criticize the royal line of succession?!" The pharaoh growled.

"Father, please!"

"Argh!"

Ramses smirked about the disapproval his brother was receiving from his father. Yet he felt a _little_ guilty about his lie...

As soon as dinner was over, the prince went to his room and wrote a letter. It seemed to be trending to do it without a scribe.

 _Dedyet, my love,_

 _I am unsure if you will ever read this letter since I have no idea how long you will be staying. I know that it has not even been a day, but I already miss you. A lot. Actually, it feels like my complete second half is missing. I worry about you. Are you okay? Did you arrive safely? When – if – you read this, please send a letter to answer me. Tell me when you plan on returning and how your brother has reacted. The servants that have brought you can stay at your palace as long as you are there, so they can make sure that you are safe and healthy. Oh Geb, will we even see each other before marrying? I surely hope so. Your face is just too beautiful to not look at. I love you, my Dedyet._

 _Yours, Ramses_

The blatant lie about Dedyet's pregnancy obviously wasn't mentioned. Would this turn out alright?


	33. Kija and her story

**Chapter 33: Kija and her story**

The ten men placed the litter in the sand. They weren't close to the border yet, but already exhausted. The night sky was clear as Dedyet stepped outside.

"Oh, excuse me?" She asked them.

They turned around to her. "Yes, your highness?"

"I wanted to know how you feel."

The men's eyes widened. They had been working several years for the de Niles, and not once had they ever been asked about their feelings.

Dedyet continued. "Because if you are too exhausted to carry us home, you can wait here and rest. I don't want you to break down."

"We will bring you back to Upper Egypt as soon and safe as possible, your highness. We will not dare to rest as long as you don't specifically order it."

Dedyet looked back to see her six servants step out of the litter as well. They had come along after seeing the violent action of King Setpenkhamun. He did not want anyone to know, but there were barely any servants left in his palace. He had thrown many out over the years and some had left themselves.

"We will keep going, your highness," the de Nile servants eventually announced, having regained some strength.

"Thank you," Dedyet answered. "I really appreciate it, and I am sure that my servants do, too. Thank you for bringing us home."

And so the carriers walked. And walked and walked and walked…

Carrying a litter and several people in it was an exhausting task, but these ten men were doing it for years. They were used to it, really.

Inside, five women were sleeping, overly exhausted. Only Dedyet and one of her servants were still awake.

Dedyet felt the need to start a conversation. She had been knowing the women in here for such a long time… Not once had they ever really had a real conversation. "So… What are your thoughts on all this?"

The woman's eyes widened, shocked that the princess herself had spoken to someone as low as a servant in a situation like that. "I… I really can't believe what our pharaoh has done to you, your highness," the servant stated nervously.

"I know, right?"

"Is… Is your nose okay again?"

"Oh, yes. It was just a bit of blood. I was shocked in the moment, but my nose itself is nothing to worry about."

"Can I ask you something, your highness?" The woman blushed, half-way expecting to be beaten.

But the answer was as peaceful as Dedyet herself. "You can ask me anything."

The woman blushed deeply, embarrassed. "Has your brother ever…hurt you?"

"He has never hurt me physically, no."

"I'm sorry that I asked… I was worried."

"Thank you for your concern. You should never be afraid to ask a question."

"So… You are now engaged?" The woman asked, biting her lip and blushing deeply, cursing herself for bothering Egypt's future queen.

Dedyet nodded. "I am."

"I wonder what this will mean for our kingdom…"

"My brother is unbelievably unpopular, isn't he?"

"I can't tell, my princess. I don't dare say."

"Ramses is a really loving man. He will unite Egypt and all of you will live in peace."

Her eyes widened. " _Unite Egypt?_ That sounds like a really big plan."

"Yes, but the odds are good. My brother has nothing left."

"There are a few male servants who have stayed at his place, my princess."

"I know. Words can't express how much that makes me worry. Let's just pray he won't abuse them."

The servant nodded.

It was Dedyet who eventually spoke up again. "Can I ask you for your name?"

"Oh, your highness! I am just a poor servant! I do not deserve to have you call me by my name!"

"Oh, nonsense. You seem to be trustworthy and friendly, so I would really like to know. Would you tell me?"

"My name is Kija."

"Hm, I think I've never heard that name before. Is it from the North?"

"It is not, your highness…"

"And why do you have a Southern name if you live in the North?"

The woman – obviously older than Dedyet – bit her lip once again. "I have family in Upper Egypt," she admitted carefully.

"Oh! That's really interesting! Are they happy in my future husband's kingdom?"

Kija nodded. "Yes, very."

"It's probably hard to keep contact, right, because they live so far away?"

Suddenly, the servant was in tears.

Dedyet was shocked. "Kija! I am so sorry if I said anything wrong to you!"

"It is fine, your highness. Please don't apologize because of my bad behavior." She rubbed her tears away.

"Your behavior is not bad at all."

Kija nodded, having a thankful look on her face.

"So…?"

"I was _born_ in the South, your highness."

"Oh!"

"My entire family is there. My parents, grandparents and children."

"Children?"

"Yes."

"You have children?!"

"I am sorry that I didn't inform you before, your highness."

"Why aren't you with them?"

"My family is really poor. My husband has died a few years ago. The only income is the money I make by working in your brother's place. I could have worked for the royal family in Upper Egypt too – and I feel like a traitor to leave my kingdom like that and work for a different pharaoh – but I didn't have a choice! I make much more by working here than in the South, because your brother's way to handle money is a little bit…weird. He is overpaying his servants, probably not even knowing it."

"Oh Kija, it is terrible that you can't be with your family!"

"I actually learned to be a nurse and take care of children, but since there are no royal children in Lower Egypt, I could only work as a servant. I send the money I make directly to my family in the North. My mother takes good care of my children. Without me working here, I don't think my parents or children would still be alive…"

"I feel so horrible."

"Oh, please don't, your highness! This is not your fault!"

"Why didn't you tell me? I would have given you money anytime!"

"But I cannot ask the princess for money!"

"If you are in deep need, then yes, you can. I am seriously surprised that my bother let a woman from the South work for him. You know, with all the prejudices in his heart."

"I was lying to him about where I was born," Kija answered in shame, facing the ground. "Please punish me as needed."

"Punish you? I won't punish you at all!"

"I was lying to the pharaoh, a living god. I think that makes me deserving of death…"

"He is not your pharaoh. Ramses is."

Kija nodded. "He must hate me."

"No. Ramses has an open heart."

"I believe you, your highness. No way did I intend to insult the pharaoh in any way!"

Dedyet was obviously sad, Kija's story going through her head. "Oh, Kija…What would your children be without you?"

"Dead, I suppose…"

"Would you tell me more about your family? Just a few minutes ago, I had no idea that you were living such a horrible life… And please, don't worry about lying to my brother. He himself has lied to me a thousand times, yet the gods keep forgiving him."

"Well… My father makes a bit of money with harvesting grain. It is really just a tiny bit, barely enough to keep a single person alive. But it helps us survive, too. My mother has an illness. There is something really wrong with her legs and feet – they are really swollen and hurt – but we can't afford to let her see a doctor. She is now almost unable to walk, but still a loving woman. She has taught me a lot about nursing. Caring for the royal family's children has been a dream of mine since I am young."

"This sounds both wonderful and incredibly heart-breaking. What about your children? How old are they?"

"I have two sons and three daughters. My daughters are twelve, ten and six. My sons are eight and four. I got them all two years apart. Funny, huh?"

"I believe the gods have wanted it this way."

"Absolutely."

"It is funny how I have cursed my future husband's curiousity regarding my family, and how I am now so interested in yours. Would you care to tell me more? Just if you want to."

"My oldest daughter will soon marry a man she fell in love with. He is eighteen and makes more money than I do. Maybe then I can start to save up and move back to where my family is…"

"That is wonderful! Do you keep contact over letters?"

"We do. Seeing how much food is thrown away in the upper classes often makes me sad." Tears were coming back into her eyes. "I can't bear the fact that my youngest children are sometimes starving."

Dedyet was near tears as well. She pulled Kija into a hug. "Kija, we will change this. The de Nile servants are bringing us to Upper Egypt now, over the border. You will reunite with your family and make money again. Everything will be okay."

"Your highness, I have lost my job."

"With coming with me, you mean?"

"Your brother will _never_ take me back now!"

"How about you work for the de Niles?"

"I can't. I have betrayed them by leaving their kingdom and working for their rival rather than them. If the pharaoh knew, I think he would get me killed."

"This is not true. Only a heartless person would resist to give you a job, Kija! No way would Ramses' father want you to suffer. You have to understand that you haven't done anything wrong by working in the North. Love is stronger than regret. Remember?"

Kija nodded in tears. "I really hope that you are right, my princess."

"May the gods guide us and bring us back home safely."


	34. A safe place to stay

**Chapter 34: A safe place to stay**

It was early in the morning when the litter was put down in front of the royal palace in Upper Egypt. The seven women got out and were – thanks to Dedyet – immediately let in by the guards.

The palace was somehow empty and... _quiet_. Everyone still seemed to be asleep, but, of course, there were some guards inside who were awake. Dedyet walked upstairs, her servants behind her. She stopped in front of the door to Ramses' private quarters.

"Good morning."

"Morning."

"Can I get in?"

The guard seemed grumpy. "I don't think so."

"But it's me, Dedyet."

"The pharaoh's quarters will not be entered! Especially not by a stranger!"

"I am not a stranger! I'm the prince's future wife and have been sleeping in here for several nights!"

A shocked look on his face showed that he had suddenly remembered the news. "Oh! I am _so_ sorry, your highness!"

"It's fine. Would you let me in now?"

"...The pharaoh is sleeping."

"It is really urgent."

"…Fine. You can enter his bedroom quietly."

Dedyet stepped inside before the door closed silently. She walked towards the bed and sat down, a hand on Ramses' forehead. Her voice was soft and quiet.

"Ramses. Hun."

He slowly opened his eyes.

"Dedyet."

"I am back already."

Once realizing what was happening, the pharaoh sat up. "Dedyet!"

"Yes?"

"What happened?!"

"My brother has reacted in a really negative way…"

"Ugh, I knew it! He's a jerk! I will ki-"

 _"Ramses."_

"…Yes?"

"I have brought some of my servants with me."

"What? Why?"

"They were living in fear, begging me to take them with me."

Ramses seemed rather careless.

"My brother only has about five servants left," Dedyet informed him.

"Five servants?!"

"I told you he is powerless."

"What do you want me to do now?"

"The women who came with me are humble and polite. Can they work for you?"

"Hun, they are from the North…"

"Who cares? I'm also from the North."

"…But that's different. You are a unique and radiant woman."

"Every human is unique, my love."

"Except for servants. They are all the same."

Dedyet crossed her arms after hearing Ramses' ignorant opinion. "If you won't give them a job, I'll give them my jewelry to sell."

"What?! Are you insane?! You can't give your precious diamonds away to… _peasants_!"

Tears came to her eyes. "Ramses, these women are _poor_."

"But that's not _our_ problem!"

A tear rolled down Dedyet's cheek. "Kija has children she can't live with. Her husband is dead. Her mother has an illness and no access to medicine! And that's only _her_ I have talked to!"

Ramses wiped the tear in her beautiful face away. "I am sorry to hear that. But there is no need for you to cry about it. There are many poor people in the North."

"But her family lives _here_!"

"Here in my father's kingdom?!"

"Yes!"

"...Oh."

Dedyet sobbed.

Ramses pulled her closer. "Please don't cry."

"I hate how you sometimes talk about my home. As if we were all poor and dirty!" Several tears were now running down her cheeks.

"I am sorry…"

"There are also poor people _here_! Just because my brother is a bad ruler, doesn't mean your kingdom is perfect!"

Ramses put on an arrogant voice. "The de Niles have flawless ruling skills."

It was exactly _this_ sense of superiority that made Dedyet angry. "And why is Kija's family poor then?! Why don't they have access to medicine if your kingdom is so great?!"

"Is it my fault that her family is stupid?!"

"Stupid?!"

"Maybe they have wasted all their money on nonsense! You don't _know_ that!"

Another sob.

"Dedyet… I am sorry."

"You always keep apologizing!"

"And you are _incredibly_ naive!"

"Because I have a good heart?!"

"No, because you defend these people over me! People you don't even _know_! Why does Kija have children if she can't care for them?! Tell me _that_!"

Dedyet looked Ramses in the eyes, tears keeping to roll down her cheeks.

"You never thought about _that_ , did you?!"

"Why does it matter?"

"Who gives birth to children, knowing they can't afford to care for them?!"

She sobbed even louder. "Stop this!"

"You know I'm right!"

 _"Yeah, because you are a de Nile! You are so great!"_

"I know."

Dedyet turned to the side. "I'll sleep now while you throw these poor people out, Ramses _de Nile_!" After these words, she closed her eyes and fell asleep, completely exhausted.

Ramses was left speechless and angry.

He exited his bedroom a few minutes later to see several obviously poor women stand in front of him. Their eyes were red and swollen, there was pure angst in their faces.

Ramses sighed before turning to his guard. "I want you to give these women a room to live in."

"But… Sire! We don't know them! They might be here to harm you!"

"Are you heartless or what?! These women are obviously poor!"

The guard's eyes widened. "S-sire…"

"You will give them rooms to live in now! If not, I might be forced to throw you out."

"Yes, your highness… I will do as ordered."


	35. Pet naming

**Chapter 35: Pet naming**

When Dedyet woke up a few hours later, she saw Ramses lying next to her, facing her.

The princess immediately turned to the other side, still angry about their argument. Dedyet rarely fought with people. Fights always left her heart bleeding and empty.

"Are you still mad at me, Baby?" Ramses asked, looking at her back.

"Throwing these women out has shown that, sometimes, there is a demon controlling you."

"Oh, is there?"

"They are homeless and will starve to death now." She sat up, her eyes filling with tears again. "Oh, how _could_ I let this happen? I'm a monster, too!"

"Dedyet."

"Seth has taken control of us, Ramses. We need to find a priest and-"

 _"Dedyet!"_

"What?!"

"Do you _really_ think I threw them out?"

She looked right at him. "You... _didn't_?"

"Of course not."

There was an instant smile on the princess' face. "I'm so sorry…"

"It's fine."

"I really thought you- Oh Geb. How did I _dare_ to say this? I don't have a home myself!"

"Of course you have a home! Dedyet, you're a _princess_. Don't forget that you have royal blood inside of you!"

"Yeah, but I am no de Nile."

"You will be soon."

"Oh. You're right. I hope that won't make me as arrogant as you." Dedyet chuckled.

"What did your brother say when you visited?" Ramses wanted to know, this time ignoring her joke.

"He called me names," Dedyet told him.

"What? Why?"

"Because you and I, we have gotten intimate."

"Has he never or what?"

"I don't know."

 _"Lonely virgin."_

Dedyet laughed. "Oh, Rammy!"

"Ugh. Again this name. _Dedyety_."

She laughed another time. "That's a terrible pet name for me!"

"Not as bad as mine."

"I like yours, Rammy."

"Stop it now."

" _Rammy, Rammy, Rammy!_ " She giggled and kissed his forehead.

Ramses chuckled before his facial expression became serious again. "I am sorry for what I said about Kija and her family… And the people from the North…"

"It's fine. I know you didn't mean it. And I think in Kija's case, maybe the family wasn't even poor before they had children. We don't know it."

"You're right. And that's why we can't judge."

That made Dedyet smile. "I am really proud of you."

"For allowing them to stay?"

"More so for apologizing."

"Oh…" Ramses seemed to be embarrassed.

"I know it's a difficult thing for you to do. I really appreciate it. Especially now, because this was the first time that you actually _really_ meant it. You are capable of so much more."

He smiled warmly. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she told him, smiling back. After a kiss, Dedyet asked, "So where did the women go?"

"I have told my guard to give them some basic rooms to live in."

"Will they work here, too?"

"I don't know."

"Maybe they could work for us once we live alone!"

"Maybe."

She smiled another time.

"We should prepare for breakfast now. My family does not tolerate any sort of unpunctuality."

"It's because they are the de Niles!" Dedyet joked.

"Exactly."

The couple laughed.

It was all fine, until Dedyet looked down on herself, seeing what she was wearing.

"I'm almost embarrassed to wear this same dress again… Do you think your family will notice that and think badly of me because of it?"

"Hundert percent."

"I hate that most royals are so focused on their image. My brother is, too..."

"Appearance is important, especially for someone of royal blood. I would never date a woman that looks less than stunning."

She ignored that compliment. "But how could looks be more important than personality?"

Silence.

"Dedyet?"

"Yes?"

"Maybe Neferia has a dress for you to borrow."


	36. Bad, bad karma

**Chapter 36: Bad, bad karma**

Dedyet stepped inside Neferia's quarters, the angry glances of a few guards in her back.

"Uh, Princess Neferia?"

She turned around, unimpressed. "What is it?"

"I just wanted to ask you if you are fine with giving me one of your dresses to wear for today."

The young de Nile frowned. "Don't you have any yourself? I thought you're _royalty_!"

"Of course! It's just that they aren't here. They are at my palace in Lower Egypt."

"Lower Egypt is a barbaric place. How is there even a _palace_?"

This was exactly the arrogant de Nile tone that Dedyet had heard so often. Neferia talked as if she was Egypt's _queen_! But unlike Dedyet, she wouldn't even _be_ queen.

"I was asking you for a dress, nothing more," Dedyet answered calmly.

Neferia fake smiled at her. "Do you know what I'm beginning to think? That you're not who you _claim_ to be!"

"Uh, _what_?"

"Maybe you aren't even a _princess_! Maybe you're just a plain peasant who wants a taste of _royalty_!"

Dedyet gasped. She couldn't believe her ears! "And you think that just because I don't have fancy dresses with me?!"

"Where are your servants? Why aren't they with you, huh?! _My_ servants would _never_ let me travel alone! Nor would my father!"

"It's not any of your business, but I snuck out of my brother's place when I came here first. And that's why I had no luggage or servants or _anything_!"

"What do you mean with 'first'? You only came here once!"

Dedyet was confused. Hadn't Ramses told his family about Dedyet visiting her brother a last time before the wedding?

 _"Sneaky rat."_

Dedyet was really losing her patience. She crossed her arms. "Do you have a dress for me now or not?"

"I don't think any of my dresses will fit you, fat ass."

"What?! I'm literally _your_ size!"

" _You_ are _literally_ pregnant."

 _"Pregnant?!"_

A male voice was heard before any of the females could speak up again. "Ladies?"

The sixteen year old Dedyet and the nineteen year old Neferia turned around.

Ramses stood in the door, a confused look on his face. "Do you have the dress?" He asked his future wife regardless of the answer being already obvious enough.

"Ramses, why does your sister say I'm pregnant?!"

Ramses smiled sheepishly. "Uh… I thought…"

"What makes you think I'm pregnant?!"

Ramses began sweating. Who should he address now? He could tell Neferia that he had let Dedyet leave the palace for a complete day without having their father even _allow_ it! Or he could tell Dedyet that he had lied to his family about her, saying that-

Neferia unintentionally saved him. "Oh, so you _aren't_ even pregnant?"

"No!"

"How amusing. Will you two idiots leave my room now? I have better things to do than talk to people from the North who invade my private space without even _asking_!"

Ramses still smiled like an idiot. "We will leave you alone, Neferia, don't worry. Dedyet thinks personality is more important than fashion, anyway."

"Ew, personality? What is that? A thing from the North?"

The next angry tone came from Dedyet. "Argh!"

They didn't make a move, so Neferia clapped her hands. "Chop chop!"

Next, the door closed Ramses and Dedyet out. Seemed like someone had some explaining to do now…


	37. Titles and marriages

**Chapter 37: Titles and marriages**

"I had to tell my family that you are pregnant to excuse you from the dinner table!" Ramses confessed the second they were alone.

"Didn't they know where I was?!"

"My father had told me not to let you visit your brother…"

"Why?"

"He thought you wouldn't come back to me…"

"Oh, Ramses."

"And I said that you might be pregnant to excuse you from the dinner table..."

"I see…"

"Can we pretend this never happened?"

"Ugh. I just wanted a darn dress. Why did she snap at me like that?"

"Because she is a dumb, arrogant _snob_."

Dedyet's eyes widened. "Uh… Wow. That's not the answer I expected."

Ramses shrugged. "It's the truth."

"But you still shouldn't talk about her like that. She is your own sister, remember? You held her in your arms when she was born. And we don't know what she's going through. I'm sure she has problems, too, especially because it was her who was supposed to marry you. I just came here like that, taking her place, all of a sudden."

"You're right. I shouldn't have judged her like that…"

"It's fine. Making mistakes is incredibly important. They make us grow so much!"

"Dedyet."

"Yes?"

"I will get you a dress, I promise."

"Oh, it's not that important…"

"It is _highly_ important."

"Fine…"

A last kiss happened before Ramses knocked on the door to Neferia's room and then stepped inside.

She turned around to him, a hairbrush in her hand. "What do you want _again_?!"

"Neferia, please. You are my only sister. Just give Dedyet a dress to wear."

"Is this woman really _that_ poor?!"

"She is rich just like us. It's just that she hasn't brought a thing here."

"Well, maybe she should have thought about that before! It's like these commoners who are poor but keep having children! And then they complain and want the pharaoh to solve it!"

He sighed, thinking of Kija.

"How do you know that she is even royal?"

"Of _course_ she is royal!"

"Did you see her palace? And servants?"

"Yes and yes."

"Oh."

"Now, please. Hand over a dress that you dislike. Dedyet looks great wearing anything."

"Oh, and I _don't_?!"

"That's not what I said."

She sighed, quieten her voice. "It's so scary that you'll marry soon…"

"Time has been passing in a very fast way, yes."

"And then she'll be queen. Queen of Egypt."

"That's right."

"That's what _I_ wanted to be!"

"I am sorry, Neferia. But there is no way I'd marry you."

She fake smiled another time. _"Uh, Ramses?"_

"Yes?"

 _"You just did it again."_

"Did what again?"

"CALLING ME UGLY!"

"You are my sister!"

"Still. I wouldn't treat you badly as your wife."

"Of course you wouldn't. But Dedyet won't either."

"Hm."

"Now! Which dress are you fine with giving to me?"

But his sister wasn't done yet. "Why did you tell us that she's pregnant?"

Ramses bit his lip, deciding to lie another time. "I really thought she was…"

"So you were _really_ trying for a baby?"

"Yes… She didn't feel good enough to come to dinner and had to vomit once, too. So I just thought she… You know."

"Oh. Okay."

"So, which dress?"

"I don't know. She'll have many prettier ones anyway once you marry her."

"Neferia, please. Don't be sad or grumpy."

"You don't even know how it feels like. Being replaced like some peasant."

"Might and power are really tempting, I know. I would tell you to marry Dedyet's brother, but he'll lose his position soon. But remember; you'll always be my little sister."

 _"Nice."_

"That's worth something too, right?"

"No. Can you leave now?"

"I will just take this one right here," Ramses said as he grabbed the next best linen dress. "This one is nice."

"You know, we could have had children too."

"Yes, _ill_ ones."

"Who cares? They would have been great rulers."

Ramses slowly walked towards the door, wishing to leave.

"I think this trip to the North has changed you, Ramses."

"Yes. It has in many ways. I'm a better person now."

"The people from the North are crazy, aren't they?"

"No."

"Pff, I don't believe you."

"There are crazy people everywhere. But the most important thing is that everyone keeps their hearts pure. No one should be judged before you get to meet them."

 _"Who are you and what have you done to my brother?"_

"It's Dedyet's influence. She has changed me."

"Can we talk about _me_ again?"

"No. I have to go. Breakfast will be ready within minutes."

"Oh, Ramses. I'm _so_ sad!"

"You will find a great prince to marry, too!"

 _"Who? Your son?"_

"Oh."

"Yeah. There is no."

"Or you marry Tut." He smirked.

 _"Ew."_

"Rather me, huh?"

"Yeah. Tut won't be pharaoh."

"I will leave now. Please come punctually to our breakfast."

With these words, Ramses left. He wondered what else was on his sister's mind…


	38. A holy decision

**Chapter 38: A holy decision**

Breakfast passed. Days passed. Even weeks passed. It was lucky for Ramses that his lie about Dedyet's pregnancy seemed to be forgotten. The royal wedding was supposed to happen in a few days and both kingdoms were excited. The people living in Lower Egypt were happily waiting for the change that would happen. Maybe _finally_ they'd live in peace.

There were also bad news, though. Setpenkhamun was not planning a revenge – there was nothing he could do –, that wasn't it. But Ramses' father – Egypt's current pharaoh – was in a really bad state of health.

Ramses sat down on a chair that stood next to his father's bed. When he spoke, his voice cracked. "Will you… Will you be able to attend my wedding, Father?"

"My son," the ill king spoke, "I do not think that I will. My health will not improve."

"But the doctors said that-"

"It doesn't matter what any doctor says, my son. The gods have already spoken."

Ramses didn't answer.

"Haven't you looked on the calendar? I will soon attend my journey into the underworld!"

"Father." Ramses sighed and faced the ground. "You can get better. I _know_ it."

"Stop talking such nonsense!"

"Please don't raise your voice! Your lungs are already exhausted enough by the illness inside your body."

"I am going to die."

"Father, please don't say such-"

"Do you know what you're supposed to do?!"

"Once you're gone, you mean?"

"Obviously, yes."

"I do. I have been preparing my whole life. Ruling is my destiny. I swear, Father, I won't disappoint you."

"Good, then go now. Talk to your soon wife and comfort her."

"Just like our kingdom, Dedyet is incredibly worried about you. It's so bad that she can't sleep at night and won't leave the temples, too busy praying."

"That's why I said you should comfort her. Tell her when I'll die so that she is informed praying won't help me."

"I-"

"Go now."

"I'd rather spend this evening with _you_. It might be the last one we have left…"

"It won't! You fool! How often do I have to repeat it?! The day isn't today!"

A sudden realization came to mind. _"It's two days after our wedding,"_ Ramses spoke out in shock, starring at the distance.

"Exactly. You will marry, unite Egypt and then become pharaoh after my death, to be the first one to rule over this big land. This is it. This is what the gods have decided."


	39. One last sunset

**Chapter 39: One last sunset**

A few days later.

Ramses felt as if he was carrying a huge amount of weight on his shoulders. He was now a married prince and had given thousands of people a happier life. Setpenkhamun (who will eternities later call himself 'Spookenkhamun') had refused to ever see his sister again. Somehow, he had disappeared within several days.

However, nothing of that was on Ramses' mind, these few days after his wedding. Several priests were preparing a huge crowning ceremony, but Ramses – standing on his royal balcony – wasn't ready for any of it.

"Dedyet?"

Standing next to him, she looked at him with a sweet smile, wearing a see-through linen dress. Mild wind was blowing through her hair. "Mhm?"

But Ramses didn't answer.

"What is it, Honey?"

"I'm just really… I don't know."

"You are surely overwhelmed, right?"

"Yes."

"And… Something else, too?"

"In love."

She smiled once again.

"But that's not it."

"What is it then?"

"Do you remember when you told me that in a marriage people had to… talk about their worries?"

"It helps the heart to heal."

She saw the look in his eyes. As if something, deep inside of him, was breaking.

Dedyet was concerned. "What's wrong, my love?"

He took a deep breath. "I told you about how my father thought he would die on this certain day, right?"

"And that he was too ill to attend our wedding, yes. I haven't seen him in a long time. Is he fine?"

"I don't know it."

"But you've spoken to him yesterday?"

"But not today."

"...What do you mean?"

"It's just…"

"Yes?"

"The day he thought he'd die… Have I ever given you the date?"

"No. You have never."

"Well… _It's today._ "

For a moment, there was silence.

"Hun… I'm so sorry. I didn't know!"

"Dedyet."

"Yes?"

He looked deep into her eyes, asking, "Do you think he will die?"

Silence, before... "I only know one thing. The gods, whenever they want it… it will happen."

Ramses didn't answer.

"I know how losing a parent feels like. But you should know, Hun, you are never alone. I'm always with you. I've always been. And I'll always be, no matter what comes."

"Thank you, Dedyet," he answered, his voice cracking, "I appreciate it."

The lovers stood on their balcony and watched how the sun went down. "The day is ending…" Ramses mumbled.

The atmosphere was ruined by Ramses' future chief adviser, who suddenly stood behind them and said, "Sire. Your father has died."


	40. A new leader

**Chapter 40: A new leader**

It was silence that followed and the adviser that announced, "You will become pharaoh in two days. The priests and servants have almost finished their preparations." He then kneeled down and let his head hang down to the future pharaoh and his queen.

Dedyet looked at her husband. He stood there like a statue or as if he was in a trance. She then turned to the adviser. "Excuse me, but could you leave us alone for a moment?"

He got up quickly. "Of course, your royal highness."

For a second, Dedyet thought that she had seen a smirk on the adviser's face. As soon as he left the balcony, Ramses closed his eyes. Tears ran down his cheeks.

Dedyet's focused on her husband again, her eyes getting wet as she pulled him into a hug. "I'm so, so sorry."

He pulled her closer, now letting it out. The façade of superiority that the de Niles were keeping up every day had been crumbling. Now, it was breaking.

Ramses sobbed like no one had ever seen him do, and Dedyet held him close, whispering in his ear that, someday, everything would be okay.

* * *

The result of this had obviously been a crowning ceremony. It was that day when Ramses had gotten his crook and flail. And – of course – the might of a pharaoh.

* * *

We fast-forward to get to the point of this story.

Two months later. A time where all this sadness was forgotten.


	41. A welcomed surprise

**Chapter 41: A welcomed surprise**

A great friendship between Dedyet and Kija – who was now working for the de Niles in their new palace – had been formed over time. Our story continues with the two, standing in front of two innocent-looking pots. One of them was empty, in the other one was a growing seed. A _barley_ seed.

Kija nodded, obviously determined. "It is now confirmed."

Dedyet seemed nervous. "Are you really sure?"

"Absolutely."

"I can't wait to tell Ramses!"

It were minutes later when Dedyet entered the main halls in a really proud way, witnessing her husband and his chief adviser, discussing something important. The past sadness had left the halls completely.

"Ramses, can I talk to you?" Dedyet asked, overly happy.

Ramses seemed a little annoyed. "We are having a conversation!" Obviously, he was talking about himself and the adviser by his side.

"What I am about to tell you is more important than whatever you are talking about now," Dedyet announced in determination.

Ramses seemed surprised. He stood up and excused himself real quick. "What is it that you want to tell me?" he asked his wife once they were relatively alone.

"Ramses! I am pregnant!" She fell in his arms.

"What?! Really?!"

"Yeah!"

"Dedyet, this is amazing!"

They hugged each other tightly and grinned in pure happiness.

Dedyet smiled warmly. "I'm so happy!"

"Me too! _Finally_ we will have a child!"

"Finally? We are only married for a few months!"

"Yes, _finally_! I have waited so long!"

Dedyet chuckled.

Ramses took his wife by the hand and then walked into the main hall with her again, looked at by his adviser.

"My wife has told me something really important just now," he announced.

The adviser raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Ramses spoke up loudly, his voice echoing through the halls. "Dedyet and I are having a baby. A heir will be born!"

Several servants gasped, a few women began to give applause.

Dedyet smiled warmly, almost shedding a happy tear.

"Clap for us!" Ramses demanded, wanting the others to congratulate the royal couple as well, as he saw the tiny group applauding.

Everyone nearby was now giving applause. Except for the adviser. "Wow, my pharaoh, this is a lot to… _take in_ ," he said, not a bit of happiness in his voice.

"Well, it's not like this hasn't been expected by many of us," Ramses answered proudly.

"Yes, Sire…"

"So where is your applause?"

"Ramses!" Dedyet warned, elbowing her husband, obviously trying to tell him not to be _that_ arrogant.

But the adviser started applauding. Slowly, but loudly.


	42. The Quen's Quarters

**Chapter 42: The Queen's Quarters**

As the men began to argue again, Dedyet walked over to her female 'friends' that had given the applause, a bright smile on her face.

"You must feel so special, your highness," a young woman said, her eyes sparkling. "I wish I was pregnant, too. I mean, I'm already seventeen!"

"When I had my first, I was seventeen, too," Kija confessed happily.

"By Hathor!" Dedyet said, suddenly realizing something.

The two women looked at their queen in shock. "Is… Is something wrong, your highness?"

"I just realized that I'll be seventeen too when having my baby!"

"That's so great!" Kija answered, celebrating. "It seems like the perfect age to bear the first child!"

"And once my child is there," Dedyet announced, "you can help me take care of it. We will surely need some nurses."

"Oh, I'd love to be a nurse!" Kija said, overly excited. "It's what I've _always_ been wanting!"

"I can't _wait_ to hold the royal baby!" One of the women spoke out, turned to the other in excitement.

Dedyet chuckled. "We will see about all that in a few months, alright? While I agree that you'd be great nurses, I think it's too early to organize that yet. I'm still...overwhelmed."

The two women smiled at each other and left the halls, eagerly discussing the future of the kingdom and palace.

Left alone with Dedyet, Kija advised, "What it's not too early for, though, is wearing special amulets and keeping your hair up! Those are two really important things to do when pregnant. They'll help keeping the demons away from the royal baby!"

Dedyet nodded, glad to be reminded of that. "Thank you, Kija. I have many amulets in my private quarters. Would you come and follow me?"

"Oh, of course!"

When they arrived, Dedyet walked inside and grabbed a little chest. She then looked over to Kija who was still standing in the door. "Uh… Don't you want to come inside?"

Kija shook her head. "This is a royal bedroom. I am not allowed to enter it."

"What nonsense. Just come in!" Dedyet said as she sat down on her bed.

"...Your husband wouldn't want that."

"Kija, please!"

"Fine. I hope no one will see us and report me…"

Kija walked inside, blushing, and stopped in front of the bed. "You must have really rare treasures in this chest, my queen."

"This is where I keep the things my mother owned before she- Oh. Nevermind."

"Oh… Okay. I'm sorry."

"Please, sit down. And stop apologizing. There is nothing you should be sorry for."

"Oh, your highness! There is no way I will touch the royal bed!"

Dedyet rolled her eyes. "I am allowing it now."

"No. It's not right."

"Fine, if you want to stand."

"We should not be in here together…"

Dedyet barely listened. Instead, she opened the chest and looked inside.

"Wow…" Kija mumbled as she saw the shimmery golden jewelry in Dedyet's hands.

"Would you tell me what of this you see as fitting?" Dedyet asked, holding out the little chest for Kija to grab.

"Y-your highness! Do you really allow me to touch your jewelry?"

"Of course. That's what we're here for, no?"

Kija nodded slowly. She grabbed the chest and carefully sorted out everything that wasn't needed. "These three amulets here are worn in pregnancy," she eventually said, holding a few ones out.

Dedyet grabbed the rare treasures and took a closer look.

"Our goddess Toeris plays an important role in this business. With wearing these, you will signalize her to protect you. We can only hope for the best. The demons are strong and willing to take any baby away. Even a little child of Ra…"

"Kija, that sounds terrible!"

"No need to be afraid, my queen. We will all pray for you and the royal child every day from now on."

"Thank you, Kija."

"Naturally."

Dedyet smiled at her. "You are such a polite woman."

"Thank you, your highness. I was taught to be."

"Please, just call me Dedyet."

"I'm not allowed to."

"Of course you are!"

Kija shook her head. "This would be rude."

"Saying 'your highness' all the time makes it seem as if I'm above you!"

The servant couldn't believe what she just heard. "But…you _are_!"

"Just because my father used to rule a kingdom?"

Kija nooded quickly. "Yes! And because you are the pharaoh's wife!"

"But it doesn't mean I'm better than you!"

"It does. And I don't want to rush you, my queen, but I would really much like to leave this room now. Am I allowed to leave yet?"

"So you will let me sit here all by myself?"

"Yes. No one but you and the great king are worthy of being in here."

Dedyet chuckled. "It's just a room, Kija!"

Kija blushed nervously. "It's the royal bedroom…"

"Well, these here are just my quarters. Ramses has his own ones."

"The private quarters of the king are the most sacred places to be in," Kija mumbled, her eyes widening.

"I was there already. And while I admit that it was nice, I like the garden better."

"I am so sorry to bother, but please can I leave?"

"Fine. If that makes you feel better."

"Thank you, your highness."

 _"Dedyet."_

Kija nodded nervously.


	43. Blessed

**Chapter 43: Blessed**

It was night when Ramses and Dedyet laid together in bed. This time, in his quarters.

"How was your day, my beautiful wife?" Ramses asked her.

She smiled happily, thinking of all that had happened. "Mine was great, and yours?"

"The best one since my coronation!"

They both smiled at each other for a second before Dedyet began to tell him some more. "Kija gave me some great advice today."

"You two seem to be really close…"

"Yes, we are! Is there a problem?"

"You should have a good relationship to your servants, but not one as good as the one you have with Kija. Servants fear their leaders. It's a natural thing."

Dedyet frowned. "I don't want anyone to fear me."

"But you are a de Nile! We, as the de Niles, do no-"

"Ugh. Not this again."

"What? It's important!"

"Kija has five children. She knows what she's talking about."

"I don't care. Nor was that an information I asked for."

"I just wanted to tell you about my day!" Dedyet answered back angrily.

Her husband was surprisingly calm. "I'm all ears."

"Kija gave me the advice to wear several special amulets of Goddess Toeris. And to always keep my hair up. It'll keep-"

"The demons away. I know."

"How did you…?"

"Dedyet. This is universal knowledge."

"...Oh."

"Don't tell me your mother hasn't taught you that!?"

"I don't know. Maybe she did and I have forgotten."

"If this has not been a common thing to be taught in the North, then I don't know how any mothers from there managed to not have their babies taken away by evil demons!"

"This whole South and North thing… It's over, right?"

"Of course."

"Good… So let's talk about our baby!"

"Oh yes. Your pregnancy has been announced already. The country is cheering."

"Oh…"

"Is something wrong?"

"This can't be a private thing, right?"

"But of _course_ not!"

"Ugh, I've thought so…"

"How could we possibly hide the fact that a new heir will be born? Our kingdom _needs_ to know!"

"You're right… We will also need some nurses, huh?"

"Absolutely."

"As the de Niles, we do not change our baby's dirty cloth diaper!"

"Exactly!"

Dedyet laughed. "But Ramses! I was just joking!"

"No. You were quite right. We will need nannies to do the things beneath us. As well as a wet nurse."

"…a wet nurse?"

"Of course."

"Oh… I see…" She faced the ground, obviously disappointed.

"No need to be so sad!" Ramses told her. "We have many things to celebrate!"

"Yes, we do. I'm sorry to be so negative today."

"We are blessed. Blessed by the gods!"

"Indeed. And I'm really thankful for that."

"I love you." Ramses kissed his wife's forehead. "Goodnight, now."

"Goodnight, my love."

"May the gods keep both you and our unborn baby safe."


	44. Pregnancy talk

**Chapter 44: Pregnancy talk**

The next day, Dedyet entered her garden right after breakfast.

"Kija!" The queen called when she walked towards her servant who was doing gardening work near the yellow flowers.

"Your highness!" Kija bowed down. "I see you are fine and well today."

"Yes… And didn't we end up agreeing that you call me 'Dedyet' instead of anything else?"

"I… I don't feel comfortable doing it…"

"It's really not that big of a big deal!"

"It is. For me."

"...Alright. So… Can you take a break from work for me?"

"Of course. If you allow me to."

"Why, yes. I'm here because I wanted to talk to you."

Kija looked shocked and in panic. "Is anything wrong?"

"No," Dedyet growled.

"Oh! I am so sorry for this inappropriate question, your highness! Can I assume you will forgive me?"

"Of course I will. And I'm sorry. I was just overreacting. It's because everyone pretends that pregnancy is oh so dangerous. I mean, I know it happens that mothers and children die, but that doesn't change the fact that being pregnant is a natural state of life. We shouldn't act like it's an illness."

Kija nodded. "I love the way you are seeing this, my queen. That, if my opinion is allowed to be heard by your wonderful ears."

"Kija?" Dedyet suddenly seemed nervous.

"Yes?"

"Nothing ever happened to you in labor either, right?"

"Uh… No?" She smiled sheepishly.

"Ah, I _knew_ it! There is nothing to be scared of!"

"Please be careful, your highness. The state you are in is still very risky."

Dedyet sat down on a nearby bench. "Ramses and I had a conversation about my pregnancy yesterday. Right before falling asleep."

"I don't know if I should be informed about this, my queen."

Dedyet ignored her. "There is a word he spoke out… Wet nurse."

"Yes."

Dedyet looked up to her servant. "Is this…an obligation?"

"I don't know. It seems to be."

"So you didn't breastfeed your babies yourself either?"

"Oh, of course I did!"

"So why can't I?"

"Breastfeeding is seen as something too common for royalty to do."

"What? Breastfeeding is beautiful!"

"Yes, but it's kind of a tradition that royalty doesn't do it. I thought you knew this, my queen, but I was wrong. Again."

"I didn't know, no. It's not like I know anyone who is queen. Except for myself, of course."

"…Your mother?"

Dedyet shook her head. "I don't think I was fed that often as an infant."

"W-what?" Kija blushed.

"Oh, it's nothing. I just said that I can't remember if my mother breastfed me or if someone else did it for her."

"That really upsets me, your highness…"

"You know, my mother was never really mentally stable."

Kija blushed again, her eyes growing big. "What?"

"Like… Ugh, nevermind. You wouldn't understand it."

Kija nodded quickly. "I'm so sorry, your hi-"

 _"Dedyet."_

"Err- …Yes."

"Kija, before you go back to work, can you tell me what month I'm in?"

Kija took a second to think. "I'd say about first or second."

"Oh. Okay. Thank you."

"If that fits with when you and the king had-". She quickly stopped herself, blushing even more than before.

Dedyet chuckled.

However, Kija was enterily in shock. "I am so sorry, your highness! This is none of my business! Please discipline me!"

The queen smiled. "What nonsense."

"I was asking you private questions about you and your husband and it… I…"

"It is fine. I think five to six weeks are really fitting."

Kija nodded. "If you want another piece of advice…"

"Yes?"

"Being pregnant is a journey," the future nurse spoke out proudly. "And you should fully enjoy it."


	45. Royal fights and royal quarters

**Chapter 45: Royal fights and royal quarters**

Four good months had passed. Four good months in which Dedyet had thought quite a lot about…well, everything. It was a dry night when she entered her bedroom where her husband was already waiting for her.

"Rammy?"

"Hm?"

"How are you?"

Ramses chuckled. "What?"

"I was asking how you feel." Dedyet smiled. "I don't think I've asked you that in quite some time even though it's such an important thing to ask."

"Oh, I feel brilliant. What about you, my love? Do you feel good, too?"

"Well," Dedyet answered, slowly taking her linen dress off. "My belly is getting heavy."

"That's really great! Our little son has been growing so much in these four months!"

"Uh, _son_?"

"Yes."

Dedyet crossed her arms. "We don't know the baby's sex yet, Ramses."

"Oh, _I_ do."

"How?"

"I just know it. I'm the father, after all."

Dedyet rolled her eyes. "Well, the test said it'll be a girl."

"What test?"

"The pregnancy test Kija helped me take some months ago. A woman regularly pees on a pot with wheat and one with barley seeds. If the wheat grows, it's a boy and if the barley grows, it's a girl. If nothing grows, the woman isn't pregnant. That's how I found out about the pregnancy in the first place."

Ramses seemed angry. "If that woman has helped you, the results are probably incorrect."

Dedyet gave her husband a salty look. "Stop saying this! Kija has five children and her daughter is newly pregnant with her first grandchild!"

"You know these people are servants, Dedyet. They didn't enjoy as much education as we did. Maybe none at all!"

"Stop pretending that the servants are stupid! They are humans, too!"

"I'm a living god. It's literally what our religion says!"

"Ugh." The queen folded her dress in anger and laid it over a chair, knowing this was 'servants' work'.

Ramses seemed to be a little calmer than before. "Dedyet. What is your problem?"

"My problem is your attitude!"

"Oh. I think you have some hormonal problems going on."

"Maybe you have, you- _…ugh_! _Jerk_!"

"Dedyet! Please calm down! Your behavior is not at all appropriate."

Expect for a few angry noises coming from Dedyet, there was silence.

"There is no need to be so rude to me," Ramses told her. "I simply said that I dislike the woman you seem to be real close with."

Dedyet, though, was fully angry. "Her name is Kija!"

"Whatever."

"At least she has helped me with my pregnancy, unlike you!"

Yet, the pharaoh was calm. "Pregnancy and childbirth are businesses only women are involved in. But you know that, my love."

Dedyet didn't answer. She didn't give her husband a single look.

"Don't you want to come in bed with me?"

"No! I think you should go back to your _own_ bedroom!"

"Dedyet, tell me. This woman – Kija – what has she done for you?"

Dedyet crossed her arms another time, seeming calmer. "She has given me a lot of advice."

"If you have questions about pregnancy or childbirth, the best thing you can do is ask my mother. She has given birth to four healthy children in the past."

"Kija has given birth to five."

 _Now_ he got mad. "What are you implying?!"

"That Kija has given birth more often and might also know more about the topic!"

"You better take that back!"

"Why? It's true. I don't recall your mother sending me any amulets to wear!"

"I don't recall Kija giving you any! That's most likely because she can't and will never be able to afford them!"

"Why does that matter?! Kija has had protection, too, in _all_ of her pregnancies!"

"I don't _care_!"

"Yeah, that's because you only care about yourself!"

"Ugh!"

"Kija has _also_ helped me to sort out my _other_ amulets."

Suddenly, Ramses' eyes widened. The anger was gone. "Wait… _What_ did you say?"

"Kija has helped me to sort out some of my amulets. _That's_ what I said!"

"You mean the ones in your little chest?"

"Yes."

"The ones from your mother?"

"Yeah."

"The ones in the chest your mother gave you?"

"Ramses, what's _up_ with you?"

"The chest that's in your bedroom?"

"Yeah. The small one."

Ramses looked at Dedyet as if he'd seen a ghost.

"Is there a problem?"

"Kija was here?"

"Ramses, she _lives_ here!"

"She was here? In your room?"

"Yes!"

 _"OH RAAAAAAAAAA!"_

Several male servants opened the door in shock. "Sire, we have heard yellings!" They gasped as soon as they saw a naked woman standing in the middle of the room.

 _"Leave!"_ Ramses yelled.

The servants closed the door as quickly as they had opened it.

"Ugh, I'm so tired of living with so many people," Dedyet told her husband while rolling her eyes. "I don't know how many of these men have already seen me without clothes on, and-"

But Ramses' mind was somewhere completely else. _"Are you seriously saying that the nurse you call Kija has allowed herself to enter YOUR BEDROOM?!"_

Dedyet was still angry. Stubbornly, she told him, "I have allowed her to come in and sit down."

 _"SIT DOWN?!"_

"On the bed."

 _"OH MY RAAAAAAA!"_

"Calm down!"

The door opened slowly. "Sire…?"

 _"There is nothing here!"_ Dedyet snapped.

The servant nodded with big eyes and quickly closed the door again.

"This is unbelievable!" Ramses cursed.

"I know, right? They keep coming in and-"

 _"Entering the royal bedroom! Without me allowing it!"_

" _Ramses_. It's fine. I have allowed Kija to come inside. She didn't want to at first. And I don't know why it matter anyway, since it's _my_ bedroom."

"Our quarters are holy rooms and Kija has - being the peasant she is - polluted them."

"Ex _cuse_ me?!"

"Dedyet, please. Come in bed with me."

Dedyet sighed in anger. She walked towards the huge bed and lied down next to her husband.

"Please tell her not come inside again."

"Kija is _always_ allowed to enter my private quarters. As well as the other nurses and servants that live here. I trust every single one of them."

" _I_ don't."

"Why not? They do _so much_ for you!"

"Of course. And they should be _glad_ that they're allowed to."


	46. Dedyet's past

**Chapter 46: Dedyet's past**

The next morning, Dedyet woke up in her husband's arms.

He kissed her cheek a second later. "Good morning, Beautiful."

She rubbed her eyes. "Good morning, Honey."

"Did you sleep peacefully?"

"Yes..." Dedyet looked around and saw something missing. "Where are the servants?"

"We've woken up quite early this morning," Ramses informed her. "They aren't here yet."

Being fine with that explanation, Dedyet turned to her husband and kissed his lips. "I've wanted to talk about something way different yesterday. We must have somehow drifted off."

"What did you want to talk about, my love?"

"About our future wet nurse."

Ramses nodded. "Do you have someone special in mind?"

"No. I have no one in mind. Do you?"

"I don't either. But it is fine, we'll find someone who will then move in here and live with us."

 _"L-live with us?"_

"Sure. That's what wet nurses do. Didn't yours do the same?"

"Honestly, I can't remember if I had one…"

"Oh. Well, I remember mine. Her name was Ipwet and she did an excellent job, always polite and respectful, yet above the attitude of a simple commoner. But there is no need to wonder – she was the daughter of a high priest my father knew well."

Dedyet smiled sadly. "It's nice that you remember that."

"Don't you? At all?"

"No..."

"So, there was no woman living with you and your family?"

"I don't think there was."

"You have only told me about your mother once. Do you mind talking about her this fine morning?"

"No… I don't mind."

"I think as a married couple, we should not have any secrets."

Dedyet nodded. "I fully agree, Hun."

"So, did your mother have all the royal rules in mind? Or was she rather good-hearted and kind like you?"

"Like me..."

Ramses looked at his wife. She was staring into the distance, tears in her eyes.

"I still remember the night I came home. A nanny had been spending the day with me outside."

"...And then?"

"My parents. They were both gone."

Silence.

"My brother stood in the main hall, tears in his eyes. He said that our father had been…murdered."

 _"Murdered?!"_

Dedyet started crying.

Ramses placed a hand on her back. "Dear..."

"I made my way upstairs to...see him."

"Dedyet… You don't have to cont-"

 _"There was blood all over his body!"_ More tears rolled down her cheeks. "He had been stabbed so many times…" She then sobbed terribly.

Ramses hugged his wife tightly. "I'm so sorry, Dedyet, that you had to see something so terrible."

He didn't want her to talk about something that made her so sad, so he quickly continued the conversation from before. "My people will find us a great wet nurse, I'm sure about it."

"Rammy?"

"Yes?"

"I've thought a lot about this and… I want to breastfeed myself."

 _"What?!"_

"Yes."

"But… That's a thing commoners do!"

"I don't see why."

"You are too good for that."

"Why? What makes me better than a servant?"

Ramses gasped in shock. _"Dedyet!"_

"I'm _serious_!"

"But-"

"I will do it myself."

"You can't!"

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want you to!"

"It's my body, so I think I should be the one deciding it."

"Honey," Ramses mumbled, "I just want the best for us."

"I know. But I couldn't stand to see another woman feed my child when I could do it, too. For such a long time, even!"

"Three years isn't long at all! Time will fly by, I know it."

"I don't know about that…"

"I think that you will feel different about this topic in a few months."

"Hm. We will see."


	47. Auntie Neferia

**Chapter 47: Auntie Neferia**

Two more months had passed. This day was a special one, because there would be a special visitor in the palace today. _Princess Neferia de Nile._

It was mostly Ramses who was happy to see his younger sister. Dedyet, _well…_ The argument that they had had over a simple dress many months ago was still on her mind. But at the de Niles's wedding, Neferia had been quite nice. Not _overly_ nice. But nice for her own standards.

Dedyet watched anxiously as she saw her husband and sister-in-law in a hug that lasted a few seconds. Surprisingly, Dedyet was pulled into a hug by the princess, too!

As the one-second hug was over, Neferia started with her sassy comments. "Wow Dedyet, you have _certainly_ gained some weight since we've last seen each other."

Dedyet laughed nervously. "Thanks… I guess."

"Ah, I _really_ don't mean it in a bad way!" She fake smiled sweetly.

Dedyet smiled back at her. "Oh, I believe you, it's fine! I really didn't feel insulted!"

"Good, because I know what a drama queen you can be at times!" Neferia laughed loudly, while Dedyet gave her husband a questioning look.

The three of them sat down on a golden table that had been well prepared by several servants before the princess' arrival.

"You two are probably organizing a lot, right?" Neferia asked.

"But of _course_!" Ramses answered. "I don't want Dedyet to stress too much, so we mostly let our servants do the work. It's just annoying when they fail to do their job properly!"

"Ugh, _totally_! I still remember when one of my female workers chose the wrong color of henna! Mother threw her out, of course."

Dedyet's eyes widened, sincerely hoping that Neferia was joking.

Ramses answered his sister with a nod of approval. "We are the de Niles and can only have the _best_ of people work for us. Mother has reacted in a good and proper way."

"Of _course_ she has! She's our mother, after all!"

Dedyet felt weird when listening to Ramses and Neferia. They both sounded so stuck up and… _arrogant_. Yet, no one had mentioned their poor father's death…

"So what about you, Dedyet?" Neferia asked, her voice not less bratty than before.

"Oh, I'm actually quite fine," Dedyet answered. "Just that I'm in pain sometimes, and that tiredness has become a constant feeling, too. Sometimes I feel like I could sleep _all_ day!"

"Well, royalty needs their beauty sleep. Am I right or am I right?" She laughed loudly, again.

Dedyet's eyes widened another time. She didn't want to be rude, though. "Haha, really funny. And you are right, of course."

"I know," Neferia answered, fake smiling back. "It's not like I've _ever_ been wrong. I'm a de Nile after all."

"Yes…" This semed to be a constant slogan...

Dedyet felt the need to cringe after hearing Neferia ask, "So Ramses, have you found a wet nurse yet? I'm sure Mother has some great contacts."

"Thank you for informing me, Neferia. I will tell my loyal scribes to write her a letter in my name."

Dedyet spoke up, too. They had _talked_ about this! "Uh, Ramses?"

He turned to her. "Yes, my love?"

"Didn't we agree on not hiring a wet nurse?"

Neferia laughed loudly once again. The servants in the back seemed to be pained by that noise…

"That was _so_ funny, Dedyet!"

"...I was actually quite serious."

Ramses felt obviously uncomfortable. "Dedyet, not _here_!"

"What?! We should stand up for what we decide as a couple!"

"We haven't decided _anything_ yet!"

"Well, I have. And it's my body." She leaned back in anger and crossed her arms over her pregnancy belly.

"Wow, Dedyet," Neferia said, smirking, "You are _super_ feisty. I like it!"

"I just… Ugh. Don't you ever have enough of all these royal traditions and rules?" Dedyet asked, trying to somehow find a similarity between her and Ramses' sister.

Neferia didn't seem as if she had understood the question. She looked over at Ramses, who could only shrug, too. The princess then looked back at Dedyet and presented her a raised eyebrow.

Dedyet rolled her eyes. Ugh… Why had she even _asked_? The de Niles were way too pampered to question their royal upbringing!

Suddenly, several men came inside. They semed uncomfortable to interrupt the conversation, but as no one was talking, they turned to Ramses and said, "Sire… Your chief adviser is waiting for you near the main entrance."

"Oh, to the gods! Is it already four?"

"Yes, your highness."

Ramses nodded and then turned to his sister. "I am sorry, but I have to leave already."

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"My people and I have some planning to do."

No one spoke for a second until Ramses continued. "I wish you two a nice day. You can stay here in our palace as long as you want, Neferia."

With these words, he walked off, leaving the two women alone. Dedyet smiled nervously. Neferia seemed to be a really… _scary_ woman.


	48. Worries and surprises

**Chapter 48: Worries and surprises**

Well, the first question Neferia asked was already a bad one…

"I have never seen your parents, Dedyet, even though I have a right to. Where are they?"

Dedyet really disliked talking about her parents, already because of the simple fact that it brought up so many horrible memories. But on the other hand, the queen knew that her terrible past was part of her life. The past made her the person she was now. And that was someone she was insanely proud of.

"...Not all of us have the luck to be with their parents for such a long time," she simply stated.

Nefreia's answer was an obvious proof of the fact that she was much brattier _without_ Ramses around. "Ugh, that's _not_ what I asked!"

Dedyet felt hurt by Neferia's reaction. "My parents aren't with me," she tried to explain, holding back tears.

"Where, not with you? In afterlife or what?!"

"Probably."

"Well, you _must_ know!"

"My father died when I was ten."

Neferia continued without a _single_ 'sorry'. "And your mother? She was queen, right?"

"Yes, for a short time."

"So… Where is she?"

"She left me after my father's death."

"What?! _Why?_ "

"I don't know. I haven't seen her after it."

"That's, like, _totally_ weird!"

"My brother said she ran away. I think this is quite likely, actually."

"How can someone just run away and leave two children behind?!"

"I don't know."

"My mother would have _never_ done such a thing to _any_ of us! The de Niles _certainly_ know what responsibility is!"

"My mother knew, too… She was mentally really unstable, if you know what I mean."

"No. I don't 'know what you mean'."

"Well… I feel like, sometime when I grew up, she just lost all her happiness."

"I'm glad that didn't happen in _my_ family. But it wouldn't anyway, because-"

"You're a de Nile. I get it."

"Yeah, a _born one_ , unlike you."

Dedyet leaned back and crossed her arms. "Does that make you any better than me?"

"Everyone is below the de Niles."

"I'm a de Nile, _too_!"

Neferia presented Dedyet the scariest fake smile she had ever seen. "No, you are _not_ a de Nile."

Dedyet's eyes widened. Now, she _really_ felt scared.

"And don't be so rude to me. Or you'll regret it!" Neferia continued.

Dedyet sighed. "I really didn't mean to."

"Alright, I'm exhausted." She stood up and clapped her hands. "Servants!"

Two young women ran towards her, obviously anxious.

"Bring me to my room!"

They bowed down. "Yes, your highness."

"And _hurry_! I need my beauty sleep!"

She then turned to her sister-in-law, a fake smile on her face. "It was fine talking to you, Dedyet."

"Thank you. It was nice talking to you, too."

"I _know_." And so, she left.

Dedyet kept sitting there for a while, rather worried than happy. There were so many thoughts going through her mind lately…

A girl, not older than fourteen, suddenly walked towards her. "Your bath is prepared, my queen."

Dedyet faced her with confusion. "What bath? I didn't order one."

"The king did, for you."

Dedyet's eyes sparkled, a smile presented itself immediately. "Thank you for informing me."

Ah... Thinking of her health even when he was super busy. Ramses really was the man of her dreams...


	49. A magic moment

**Chapter 49: A magic moment**

Dedyet sat on Ramses' bed, waiting for her husband to come into the room. Luckily, she didn't have to wait long until the door opened and her lover stepped inside.

"Ramses!" She got up and hugged him.

The paharoh was obviously surprised. "Dedyet! You are here already?"

"Yes! I've been waiting for you!"

"What's going on?"

She smiled sweetly. "Well, firstly, I wanted to thank you for the bath."

Ramses frowned. "What bath?"

Dedyet raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you prepare me a bath today? A young servant has informed me about it."

 _"Ugh!"_

"Huh?"

"This was supposed to be a surprise for us tonight!"

"Oh! Well, it was ready in the afternoon, so I already took it...on my own. Sorry…"

"Hmpf. Who was it to tell you? I will throw her out immediately!"

"No!"

 _"Ugh!"_

Suddenly, Dedyet became more serious. "I appreciate that you wanted to surprise me in a sweet way, Rammy, and I would have loved to take a relaxing bath with you, but that's not what we're here for."

Ramses smirked, his anger forgotten. _"What are we here for then, hm?"_

"Why did you tell your sister we'd be hiring a wet nurse?"

He rolled his eyes. "Oh, Dedyet! Please don't tell me _that's_ what you've been thinking about all day!"

"It is. And I'm worried."

"My sister, she is really…"

 _"Rude?"_

"Oh, no, no. She has some really strong opinions about certain things. And because we all grew up with a wet nurse fit for royalty, she sees it as something really important to have."

"Hm…"

"My sister just wants the best for us, Dedyet. Even if she might be bold about it."

"She has asked me a lot of uncomfortable things."

Ramses seemed surprised. He raised an eyebrow. "What has she asked you?"

"About my parents and where they are."

"Well..."

"Can we finally agree on not hiring a wet nurse, Sweetie? It would mean a lot to me."

"I don't know why you want to breastfeed yourself. I don't see a single reason for it!"

"Because that creates a strong bond between mother and child. How often do I have to tell you?!"

"Dedyet, you will have a strong bond to our baby _anyway_. You're the _mother_!"

"I want to breastfeed, okay? And I'm not going to change my opinion."

Once again, it was Ramses who had to have the last word. "I think that you will change your opinion after the baby is born."

Dedyet's hands slit down to her belly. The room went quiet.

It was the queen who suddenly smiled.

Ramses raised an eyebrow at her.

"Our baby is kicking," his wife said in a quiet voice, emotionally touched.

Ramses kneeled down. He put his hands on his wife's belly and smiled, too.

"Isn't this wonderful?" She asked.

Ramses kissed his wife's belly. "Dedyet, _you_ are wonderful."


	50. Rude Awakenings and Angry Goodbyes

**Chapter 50: Rude Awakenings and Angry Goodbyes**

The bedroom door opened silently. It was an unbelievably quiet morning, until…

 _"Good mooooooorning!"_

Dedyet and Ramses both woke up in shock.

Neferia stood in the middle of the room, dressed in a really fashion-forward way. "Ugh, why are you still sleeping?! It's already _eight_! I've already told the servants to prepare our breakfast. I'm _starving_!"

Dedyet turned away and pulled the blanket over her head. She had absolutely no desire to spend time with Neferia this morning. Also did the queen not appreciate being woken up in an overly loud way.

"Neferia," Ramses complained. "Who let you inside?"

Instead of answering her tired brother, Neferia tried to pull the blanket off of his body in a playful way.

 _"NEFERIA!"_

"Ooops! Sorry! _I didn't know you both still got it on last night!_ Because you actually wanted to show me the palace yesterday, Ramses. We had an _appointment_." She crossed her arms in anger.

"Oh! You're right. I'm…sorry?"

"But you rather gave it to her, huh?"

 _"Leave!"_

"Ugh! The service here is terrible!"

And with those words, the annoying princess finally left the royal bedroom.

Ramses turned to his tired wife. "I'm sorry, Honey…"

"Mhh, it's not your fault, Rammy. Just tell me," she pulled the blanket away, "why is she so annoying?"

Ramses rolled his eyes. "Ugh, I wish I knew. When I was young, I thought all women were like that."

"You know, I'm not really in the mood for breakfast this morning…"

"Dedyet. I know this situation is annoying you right now, but you have to eat regardless. Don't forget there is a human growing inside of you! – _Our_ human!"

"I feel sick. Can you excuse me?"

"No. Please get up in some minutes."

"No."

"I'll let the servants prepare me first, yes? And after that, I will yell at them for not having an eye on my sister! And, well, then they will prepare you, too."

Dedyet turned away again. "Mh."

There was a lot of hope from Ramses' side to still get his wife up and make her eat something this very morning, but it seemed as if Renenet – the ancient Egyptian goddess of luck – hadn't been with him today.

"What you did this morning was really inappropriate," Ramses said to his younger sister as they were sitting at the breakfast table.

"It was also very rude of you to just forget about me yesterday."

"I know and I said I was sorry."

"Where is Dedyet?"

"Still in bed. She doesn't feel good."

"Why? _Did you take her too hard last night?_ "

"Ugh! Another comment like that and I will make you leave my property!"

Neferia rolled her eyes. "Seesh. No need to yell at me like that. I'm not a servant!"

"I also don't appreciate you asking Dedyet things about her parents!" Ramses added, now in the mood for an argument.

Neferia fake smiled right at him. _"Aww, did she come to you and cry?"_

"I have the feeling you are _severely_ jealous."

"Me? _Jealous?!_ "

"Are you _barren_ , Neferia?!"

This _certainly_ came unexpected. _"What?!"_

"I asked you if you are infertile!" Her brother yelled.

"Are you _sick_?!"

"No. I am obviously fertile."

"Argh! Seriously, sometimes I imagine being pregnant and vomit, because of the fact that having an invader grow inside of me is literally _gross_!"

"Our mother has been pregnant!"

"So what?"

"Excuse you!"

"I won't!"

"Then I'll take that as sarcasm."

She leaned back and crossed her arms.

"Neferia. I understand you don't want a child yourself, but this is not yet a reason to make Dedyet feel bad about her past. She's had a hard time and you know it!"

"Pff. What has happened to her parents anyway?"

"Her father has died and her mother has ran away…or something."

"Yeah, you don't even know it _yourself_!"

"Argh, shut your mouth!"

"You know what? This is beneath me. I am leaving!" She got up. "Write me a letter once you are sane again and maybe I'll accept it as a polite apology!"

Thirty minutes later and Neferia had really done it. She had left the newly built palace.


	51. Blood loss

**Chapter 51: Blood loss**

Before starting work, and still having his sister in mind, Ramses walked up to his bedroom, a small portion of food on a plate in his hand. He entered the bedroom really quietly, not sure if his wife was still awake.

"Dedyet?"

She was lying on the bed, facing the wall. "Hm?"

Happy to see that his wife wasn't asleep, Ramses sat down next to her. "I am bringing you some food."

She turned to him, a sad smile on her face. "Thank you."

"Is everything good?"

"No."

 _"What's wrong?"_

"I just feel so sick and…sad."

He placed a hand on her shoulder, putting on a sad face. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"I heard you fighting with Neferia..."

"Dedyet," Ramses said in a determined way, "you were right about her."

"What do you mean?"

"She is _unbelievably_ rude."

Dedyet's eyes widened.

"She has left the palace."

"What?! You can't just throw her out! She's your _sister_!"

"She decided to leave on her own. But still, she has crossed the line with the action this morning. _She_ is the reason you don't feel good, after all!"

"No. It's not because of that. I just have some morning sickness, that's normal."

Ramses pulled the blanket away to put the food down and almost vomited at what he saw. The sheets were _bloody_!

"Oops."

"Ahhh!"

"Ugh, Kija has warned me about this. I should have listened to her in a better way. Intercourse in pregnancy is not the best idea, as it seems."

Ramses looked like he had seen a ghost.

Dedyet sat up. "Thank you for the food, Rammy. It feels nice to know how much you care about me."

Just that he wasn't answering.

"Rammy?"

"The sheets… They're all dirty…"

"It's just a bit! Like, a little spot."

"Oh… Ra…"

"No need to look at me like that. I'm not dying or anything."

"Has this already been there when I got up?"

"I don't know. Possibly."

"Nasty blood! On _my_ sheets!"

"Hey! This came from me!"

"Do you know where this came out of?! It is unclean!"

"Ramses, please! Calm down! You make it seem as if you've never seen blood!"

"Maybe my child is _dying_!"

"No! I'm educated enough to know that it is not a miscarriage or anything! I was bleeding because we had-"

 _"Miscarriage?!"_

"It's _not_ a miscarriage!"

"How do you know?! You've never been pregnant!"

"Kija has informed me about several symptoms of a miscarriage. Severe bleeding, cramping…"

"I will call a doctor."

 _"Ramses!"_

Someone knocked on the door.

"Ugh, what is it?!" Ramses barked.

It was Kija who opened the door shyly.

"Kija, can you please come in here and tell Ramses that I'm not having a miscarriage?" Dedyet asked, obviously annoyed.

Kija gasped then blushed. Her eyes widened.

"You will _not_ enter my bedroom!" Ramses yelled at her.

"I will not, Sire," Kija quickly told him. "I am just here to tell you that your chief adviser is looking for you! He has send me to-"

"Kija, please tell Ramses that passing tiny drops of blood in pregnancy is normal!"

"...There are several reasons a woman could be bleeding when pregnant," Kija told Ramses with an anxious face.

"My child might be _dying_!"

"No. Certainly not," the nurse answered. "The symptoms would be different. It's just a tiny spot on the sheet, as I can see from here."

"And you will spend your day washing it out!" Ramses snapped.

Kija nodded. "Yes, your highness."

"Stop yelling at her!" Dedyet commanded.

"I yell at her the way I want to! She's my servant!"

"And my friend."

"Argh, nonsense!"

"You know, if I had a miscarriage now, I wouldn't even be surprised. There's stress here every day and the only thing I want is peace and quiet! I can't bond with my baby, because there's always someone who wants something from me! A nurse warning me about my hobbies, a priest forcing himself on me for a ceremony... I get that being queen is an important job. But I also need some _free time._ "

Kija's and Ramses' eyes widened. They were certainly surprised.

After a few seconds of silence, the pharaoh turned to Kija. "Get a doctor. Right now."

Kija had no choice. "Yes, your highness," she responded as she hurried out of the room.

"Ramses!" Dedyet snapped. "I don't need a doctor!"

"You might as well bring a priest!" Ramses called after Kija.

 _"Ughhhh!"_

"Please, Dedyet, stay calm. We don't want our baby to get stressed."

"It's _already_ stressed!"

It was then when a doctor and a priest made their way inside. Several examinations happened - the priest ended them with a holy ritual - only to find out what Dedyet had known form the start: Both mother and baby were fine.


	52. Thinking of the future

**Chapter 52: Thinking of the future**

Another two months had passed. Dedyet's life was far from normal. Her complete day revolved around sleeping, eating, peeing and experiencing pain. And that again and again. _Daily._

There were times when she thought of her brother. She hadn't heard from him all this time. Was he fine wherever he was? Had she been too harsh? Maybe if he would know that his sister was pregnant, he would start to care and show insight?

Ramses and his sister had actually made up. Apparently, their underlying love for each other was stronger than the love Setpenkhamun had felt for Dedyet. The queen was incredibly happy for Neferia and Ramses, but also sort of… _jealous_? Her only sibling – gone. Her parents? Gone as well. She was so grateful for her life and the lucky circumstances. But there were still some things, always managing to get her down…

Every servant and nurse was panicking on a daily basis. They were panicking…because of _her_. It was sweet that others were so protective. Yet it could be annoying. Dedyet was just glad that the wet nurse debate with her husband had come to an end and they had agreed on not hiring one.

The royal couple was sitting in the garden, looking at the hut that had been newly built for Dedyet to give birth in.

"Our son will be born in March," Ramses stated, obviously determined.

"Hun? I have a question."

"What's your question, Love?"

"Why are you so sure it's a boy? You've told me it's just a strong feeling, but I don't buy that. Have the gods said it in your prayers?"

"Why are you so sure it's _not_ a boy?"

"I'm not. It's just that the test I've done states something different."

"I have talked to my mother about it. She has told me that these kinds of tests aren't accurate enough for royalty to believe."

Dedyet rolled her eyes. _"Royalty, royalty…"_

"Yes. That's what we are."

"So much has happened the past year," Dedyet mumbled, not wanting to debate the 'royalty vs commoners' topic another time.

"Yes. The gods have wanted change."

"After birth, when will your family visit?"

"As soon as you can handle it."

Dedyet chuckled. "You know, I wish my family could come, too. And I wish Kija would see her children and parents again. I also wish that there was no poverty and violence anymore."

"In Egypt, you mean?"

"In the whole world."

"Egypt _is_ the whole world!"

Dedyet chuckled.

"Dying out of Egypt is _absolutely_ scary to think of!"

"I agree. But that doesn't mean that others don't deserve peace, too. Do you remember how we've fought racism?"

He gave her a questioning look. "No?"

She elbowed him with a smile. "Lower and Upper Egypt."

"You mean Upper and Lower Egypt. Upper comes first."

Dedyet rolled her eyes. "Why for Ra's sake would Upper Egypt come first?"

He looked at her, a smirk on his face.

"Now don't tell me that's because it's 'superior'."

"The de Niles have been born there. Let's not forget about that."

 _"Let not forget that the de Niles are not the center of the world."_

"They are! That's the point!"

"I can't believe I fell in love with someone who's so stubborn." She smirked and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Ramses stared at the distance. "And I can't believe I'll be a father in less than a month."


	53. Names and traditions

**Chapter 53: Names and traditions**

It was a dry morning one week later when the servants helped a certain someone unpack.

"Mother," Ramses mumbled when looking at her luggage, "You'll be here for one day, no?"

"This is something _I_ decide! Since you are my son, my flesh and blood, and I am your mother, this is my palace, _too_!"

He tried not to roll his eyes. "…Of course, Mother."

"Where is she?"

His eyes widened. "Who?"

"The queen, you _idiot_!"

"She's in her quarters."

"How incredibly _rude_! How _dare_ she ignore my visit?!"

"You know that Dedyet is heavily pregnant, Mother…"

"That's no excuse to ignore the needs of the pharaoh's mother! I am the most superior woman in the entire _country_!"

"...She might have fallen asleep."

Ramses' mother groaned when sitting down on a golden chair, looking at the walls of her son's beautiful home.

He sat down on a chair next to her.

When his mother looked at him, she asked, "And? Are you excited to be a father? It comes with a lot of responsibility."

"I know it. But I am ready and I'm looking forward to it."

"I am of course happy to have my first grandchild. Yet, I'd be happier if its mother was more… _fitting_."

"What do you mean?"

"You should have married Neferia. _That's_ what I mean!"

He rolled his eyes. "Mother! I _love_ Dedyet."

"Love? Your underlings don't care about love! They care about having a stable and perfect queen!"

He sighed.

"Am I correct thinking that your child will be male?" Ramses' mother asked strictly.

Ramses gulped. "Uh… I think Dedyet has taken a pregnancy test and the result was-"

 _"Pregnancy test?!"_

"Yes?"

"Has she asked the gods or what?!"

"I don't know."

"Do you know anything at all?!"

"I know that I am incredibly proud of becoming a father."

But the woman's thoughts were somewhere else… "My son… Married to a woman from the North… _Unbelievable_!"

Ugh. Not this again…

"The people from the North are completely barbaric! They don't have _morals_!"

"The traditions were different from the ones we had, yes. But that doesn't make the people 'barbaric'. Egypt is now united, Mother, so the-"

She completely ignored him once again, saying, "You know what I have heard? In the North, people don't circumcise their sons in late puberty!"

"Okay?"

"They don't do it _at all_!" She raised her arms in shock. "How can those boys become _men_?!"

"...Do you want the servants to bring you some wine, Mother? So we could have a nice-"

"A woman I have talked to did not even know that circumcision was a _thing_!"

Finally, after a second of silence, she changed the topic.

"Is that wife of yours healthy?"

Ramses crossed his arms, brave enough to say, "I'm surprised you care about Dedyet's well-being."

"What?!"

Ramses blushed, shocked about his rude behavior. "Uh, _nothing_!"

"Of course I care about her well-being, you fool! My grandson is living inside of her!"

"Dedyet is all fine, yes," Ramses clarified.

"I hope she will not make any mistakes considering your son's upbringing!" She said strictly.

"I'm sure we will raise our child in a flawless way, Mother."

"You _better_ do! I want to keep my grandson safe by trying to make mistakes impossible to happen. But with a wife like yours, you never know!"

Ramses sighed. Talking to his mother was so horribly exhausting...

"A really important part of a person is their name," the former queen informed her son.

"Exactly," he added. "And the name of the child should not be spoken out until it's born."

"I really hope that this is a universal tradition! Have you and that wife of yours already talked about my grandson's name?"

"We have not."

"Good. I hope this woman won't ruin it and endanger your baby by speaking the name out loud!"

"I haven't really decided on one yet, either."

"Let me tell you, Ramses, the _mother_ gets to name the baby once it is born. You are allowed to make suggestions, but it's her who will have the final say."

"Oh, I'm sure we will decide on a nice name together."

"A 'nice name'?! Have I not mentioned the importance of the name?!"

"You have, Mother…"

"I suggest you name him after your father or brother."

Ramses took a deep breath. "Have I told you yet that… It is a girl?"

"A what?"

"A girl."

 _"Ramses!"_

"M-mother?"

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?!"

"It's supposed to mean that Dedyet has made an accurate pregnancy test and-"

"No pregnancy test is accurate unless the gods are asked about it!" She yelled in anger.

"…Yes, Mother."

"If it is a girl then you will obviously name her after your sister!"

 _"Oh."_

"What 'oh'?!"

"I… I agree," he nodded in shock, trying not to blush.

"Of course you agree, I am your mother."

"Yes."

"So are we clear about it? If it's a girl, you will name her after the only sister you have. Neferia de Nile."


	54. Clear visions

**Chapter 54: Clear visions**

Dedyet stormed through the palace halls.

"Your highness! Be careful!" A shocked nurse said out loud. But Dedyet ran past her, quickly arriving in the main hall.

"Ramses!"

"Good evening, my darling."

"Where is your mother?"

"She has left already. The curtains in her quarters were against her tastes."

The queen's eyes widened. "W-what?"

"She couldn't bear the sight of them."

"So that's why she left?"

"Yes."

Dedyet sat down in both shock and sadness. "I can't believe it."

"It's not _my_ fault! It were several women who have decorated her rooms! Do you think it is appropriate to torture them?"

"What?! No! How could you even think of such a thing?"

He shrugged. "They have clearly displeased royalty."

Dedyet sighed. "Please just leave these women alone, Ramses…"

"Don't you think they should learn from their mistake? My mother was _incredibly_ displeased!"

"It's just curtains, Hun."

"Curtains in her _room_! Curtains she had to _look_ at! With her _eyes_!"

Dedyet chuckled, sadness in her eyes.

Ramses quickly got over himself and his arrogant attitude. "What's wrong, Hun?"

"You know," Dedyet mumbled sadly, "I have a feeling your mother didn't even _want_ to see me."

"Oh, she did! It's just that you've been asleep, so I thought I shouldn't send anyone to wake you. I know that falling asleep is something that troubles you since being pregnant, my love."

Dedyet kissed him sweetly. "Thank you, Hun… Have you at least had a nice chat with your mother?"

"Oh. Yes…"

"Is she still mad about me being… _there_?"

"I guess?"

"Oh…"

"She would have preferred Neferia as my wife, you know."

"I think that's weird."

"No, no! It has been tradition for a long time! Many people have done it before! For example, my great great-great-grandfather and his daughter's-"

 _"Ramses!"_

"Yes?"

"This is _horrible_!"

"Why?"

She sighed. "You wouldn't understand it…"

"That's how I have been brought up, Dear."

"I know." She smiled sadly.

Ramses took a breather before saying, "Have you thought about a name for our baby boy or girl yet?"

"Yes, many times. But I think it's not allowed to say the name out loud?"

"Not before birth."

"Right. What about you? Do you have an idea?"

"My mother does..."

"That's great! Has she written them down for us?"

"Royalty doesn't write."

"...Has she asked a _scribe_ to write down the names?"

"No..."

"Aww... I would have loved to read them!"

Ramses sighed. He loved Dedyet so much and she was the most important person – being the child's mother and all – yet his own one had clear visions about the baby's name. Visions he was too afraid to mention out of fear to make Dedyet feel upset or to make him appear as a weak mommy's boy. Dedyet didn't even _like_ Neferia! How would she possibly react to being asked to name her _baby_ after her?!


	55. Morning pain

**Chapter 55: Morning pain**

One week later.

It was early in the morning when Dedyet woke up. A hand went down to her belly as she felt an immense pain. "Oh my Ra," she mumbled to herself in shock. The queen waited a moment. It was not getting better.

"Kija!" Dedyet called out, afraid of her own helplessness.

A door to her quarters opened. "Your highness?" One of the guards that had stood outside, asked. "Is everything okay?"

Dedyet felt tears coming into her eyes as the pain got worse. "Help. I need help," she whined, her voice cracking.

The guard looked at another, deciding that this was a situation where entering the queen's private rooms was more than necessary.

They quickly walked towards her, trying to calm her down. "Your highness, should we call a doctor? Should we bring you somewhere?"

"Please get Kija," Dedyet told them, holding back tears.

One of the guards quickly left the room, running towards the quarters for the servants and nurses.

"Are you sure you don't need a doctor?" The other guard asked in panic.

Dedyet breathed heavily, giving him a shocked look. "I think… I think it has stopped."

"I will call a doctor immediately!"

It was then when Kija, followed by a friend, and the other guard entered the room.

"Dedyet!" Kija said in shock.

The others looked at her like crazy, their eyes widening.

"Uh, I mean… _Your highness_!" Kija corrected herself, blushing.

Dedyet spoke up before anybody else. "Kija, I just woke up in pain, my back was hurting like crazy and now it's all gone," she said in tears.

"It's a sign!" A younger nurse said happily. "The baby will be born today!"

"What time is it?" Dedyet asked tiredly.

"Three at night?"

Not the first time Dedyet was awake at that time. _"Ugh."_

"Do you think you will be able to sleep, your highness?" Kija asked.

"It is needed to call several doctors," one guard said.

"Nonsese," Kija told him, "Her body is just preparing her for birth. It will most likely take several hours until the baby is there."

"But-"

"Has the water broken yet?" She asked.

"No," Dedyet answered in a rather moody way.

"Do you want us to leave?" The second nurse asked.

"No. What about my pain?"

"It will come back every… 20 minutes?"

Dedyet seemed angry. "Wow, that's _great_."

"I'm sorry," the young nurse mumbled. "I will leave the room now, if I'm allowed to, and pray to goddess Toeris."

"Fine." Dedyet stated barevly. "All of you can leave. I'll call if I need help."

But the guards seemed unsure. "Do you _really_ think it is best to stay on your own in this room, your highness? What if there is an _emergency_?"

"Then I will call for you. You're right in front of my door."

The males exchanged looks. "Yes, your highness," they eventually answered, still seeming as if they weren't convinced. What if the queen and the royal baby got hurt? Hurt because of _them_?!


	56. Daily routines

**Chapter 56: Daily routines**

Dedyet turned to the side, feeling rather uncomfortable. After realizing that her headrest was even _more_ uncomfortable when she was lying on the side, the queen turned to the front again, closing her eyes. Sleeping seemed easy until – about twenty minutes later – another wave of pain attacked her.

It was many hours later when the door to the bedroom opened.

"Good morning, your highness," one of Dedyet's friendly servants, who came to wake her up every morning, greeted. "How was your night?"

Dedyet opened her eyes tiredly. Had she slept at all?

"I was in pain so I couldn't really sleep," the queen mumbled.

"Oh! Is there anything I can do for you?"

"You could help me up."

"Oh, of course!"

The servant came closer, carefully getting her queen out of bed.

"My belly is so big, I can't even see my legs," Dedyet mumbled, really sounding as if she had only slept a few hours.

Before the servant could answer, the door opened quietly. Several women stepped inside whose job it was to prepare Dedyet for the day. They would wash her, dress her, put makeup and jewelry on her body. Egyptian royalty had a certain routine. Everything happened every day the same, planned in detail.

After that, the queen walked through the palace halls, greeted by some servants, the ones who were brave enough to speak to her. As she entered the dining hall, she met her husband and sat down to enjoy only the finest of meat.

"How are you, my love?" Ramses asked her gently, obviously knowing that it wasn't long until he'd be a father.

"I'm okay," Dedyet answered, barely looking at him.

"Oh."

"It's just that my cramps are becoming more frequent."

"I will call a doctor!"

Dedyet rolled her eyes, _more_ than annoyed. "I don't _need_ one!"

"Are you really sure?"

"Ugh, _yes_. How often until you finally get it?"

"How about a priest?"

 _"No!"_

"I'm really excited for our son's birth," Ramses told her, trying to change the subject.

"It's _not_ a son," Dedyet explain moodily, probably for the twentieth time this month.

"Aw, but, Honey, I have told you how inaccurate the test with the seeds is."

She crossed her arms. "You don't know _anything_ about pregnancy."

"Well, my mother has-"

"She has done the test and it was wrong. Yeah. I know."

"Mother was enraged, thinking her firstborn would be female!"

Dedyet rolled her eyes another time.

"You are really moody today, are you, my dear?"

 _"Argh!"_

"I see."

"You don't know _anything_!"

"I know that it's the hormones that make you so rude."

"Ramses, could you be quiet for, like, _one_ second?!"

"Yes."

And so, the dining hall turned quiet. A last time before birth.


	57. Broken water

**Chapter 57: Broken water**

After breakfast, Dedyet usually went outside to enjoy the sunshine. This day, though, was different. The queen was sitting on a golden chair in her private quarters, her hands on her belly. The cramps were definitely still there, but Dedyet had a sudden feeling of hope. Maybe she should try it again? Just lie down in bed and try to fall asleep?

It was incredibly surprising, but Dedyet did as said, and managed to stay asleep for about four hours without waking up once. But the moment she woke up – _ouch_.

The pain had increased even more, and as soon as she opened her eyes, Dedyet felt a _liquid_ between her legs. Immediately, the queen called for help.

Several nurses stormed inside, obviously panicking.

The pained look on Dedyet's face, and the wet dress and bed spoke for themselves. The nurses quickly got her up and walked her outside, reminding her to not forget to breathe.

It was only a minute later when Dedyet found herself in her birthing hut, being undressed.

"Breathe, your highness, breathe," a nurse commanded gently.

Dedyet looked at them in shock, realizing that _this_ was the _beginning of labor_. "I'm not ready!"

"You are."

"No!"

"Of course you are. Your body will guide you."

"No, I can't do this!"

"Yes, you can."

"Where is my husband?!"

"At work."

Dedyet felt tears in her eyes, her heart beating fastly. Why was this happening so suddenly? She wasn't _prepared_!

The queen did feel a bit better once seeing Kija entering the small hut, but the feeling went away quickly after she felt her dress falling to the ground and her hair being opened. The nurses were determined, gently guiding Dedyet to a free space in the center of the room.

"Now squat," one of the women said.

Dedyet did as ordered. After that, two nurses supported her from the side and back while Kija kneeled down right in front of her.

Dedyet wanted to speak up, but felt a contraction coming.

"Breathe, breathe," one of the women said.

The queen felt in the need to just tell her to shut up, but the pain seemed unbearable. After just a minute, it was over. Dedyet looked up to see that the two other women had left. She was now alone with Kija and two other nurses.

"What time is it?" Dedyet asked, grateful to feel pain-free.

"It is almost lunch time," the women from behind answered.

"But I guarantee you that this will definitely take some more hours. This labor has just started," Kija stated calmly, looking between Dedyet's legs.

"I don't want this," Dedyet said in panic. "I didn't even have time to prepare! I just woke up and now I'm _giving birth_!"

Together, the nurses spoke out prayers for both Dedyet and the royal baby, begging them to make this labor quick and relatively painless, and to have neither mother nor baby die.

In her normal state, Dedyet would have found this wonderful. But she felt her uterus cramping another time, and she just wondered, _why_ was giving birth so _insanely_ painful?


	58. A new human

**Chapter 58: A new human**

It was late at night when four women – three nurses and a queen – were kneeling down, still inside the little hut. Dedyet was the center of attention while sweating, moaning and heavily breathing. Everyone was tired, yet no less determined than before.

The queen had lost her patience several hours ago, and was now only doing what both her body and the nurses were _demanding_ her to do - pushing, and that, harder than ever before in her entire life.

"I can see the head, I can see the head!" Kija spoke out excitedly.

The two other nurses were still supporting their queen from behind and the side, occasionally reminding her to breathe and push and telling her how well she was doing.

"Push, push, push!" Kija said loudly as the next contraction came, knowing this would most likely be the last one.

Dedyet felt another wave of pain attacking her, and responded with pushing intently. One... Last... Time...

It was then when the queen felt a ring of fire between her legs. The pain was incredibly bad and incomparable to anything Dedyet had ever felt before, but after a few pushes, it suddenly stopped. The queen felt something slip out of her body, and heard, after that, a startled cry.

Dedyet breathed heavily, more than exhausted, and looked up to see a messy-looking, tiny human in Kija's arms, screaming and kicking.

"It's a little girl!" Kija announced, happily putting her on Dedyet's chest.

The two nurses behind her smiled, insanely proud.

Dedyet felt tears in her eyes when she held her child. The past pain was forgotten.

"Oh, my little baby…" She pet her crying baby's body and kissed the newborn's forehead, not caring that the baby hadn't been bathed yet.

She was happily surprised to see the baby crawling slightly upwards, following its instincts, obviously hungry.

All the fights about hiring a wet nurse or not were forgotten when Dedyet fed her baby for the first time, happy tears rolling down her cheeks.

Then, she felt more cramps, but they weren't as bad as the ones before.

Kija focused again, looking down, and after a few contractions, the placenta was birthed. The nurse on Dedyet's side handed Kija a small knife and Kija cut the cord of the new human.

Dedyet wasn't even looking, completely focusing on her baby that was yawning after being nursed.

Kija stood up, slowly approaching the new mom.

"I will bathe her now," the nurse said in a quiet and gentle way, before picking the baby up and walking towards a small tub that stood in the room as well, everything well prepared.

In the meantime, a nurse put a large and thick cloth blanket on the bed to save it from getting bloody. She walked back and – with help from the other nurse – carried her queen into the bed.

It was then when Dedyet realized that she was heavily bleeding.

Kija approached her, holding Dedyet's baby, wrapped in a precious linen blanket. She handed it to the new mom, and Dedyet kissed her daughter's head before looking up to the women in front of her.

"Thank you so much," she said quietly to the three of them.

"There is no need to thanks us," one of them replied.

"I couldn't have done it without you."

"Yes, you could have."

"I can't believe I was there to witness the crown princess' birth!" The other and youngest nurse said happily, still excited.

Kija had kept an eye on the entrance and was now looking back at her queen.

"Dedyet."

"Yes?"

"I think someone wants to see you. It is Ramses."


	59. Nefer(i)a

**Chapter 59: Nefer(i)a**

Kija left the hut and met Ramses outside. "You can come in now and meet your baby," she said gently, a smile on her face, informing him that the birth was over, and that even men could now enter the birthing hut.

Ramses didn't even look at Kija. Instead, he walked a few steps forward. The new father took a last breath before entering the hut.

What he saw inside was his wife, lying in bed, a small human in her arms. In the background were the two other nurses who had supported Dedyet from the back and the side, joined by Kija, cleaning up the blood and bodily waste that was left from birth.

Ramses approached his wife without any words, looking at his sleeping baby. He sat down on a small chair next to the bed, speechless.

"It's a little girl," Dedyet told him gently, also looking down at the human in her arms.

"She's… She's beautiful," Ramses replied, his voice cracking. Suddenly, it didn't seem like he had wanted a boy at all. Suddenly, his little girl was perfect.

"Do you want to hold her?" Dedyet asked, smiling, now looking up to her husband.

Ramses slowly reached out for his child. As he held her in his arms, he examined her carefully before kissing her forehead.

Dedyet smiled happily, almost in tears.

Right when Ramses gave the baby back to his wife, several priests came inside. They didn't talk, but bowed down in front of the royal family.

Ramses suddenly realized that had almost forgotten the urgency to _name_ the baby! That was why the priests were here, after all!

A high priest looked up, asking quietly, "Is the child named yet?"

Ramses looked at Dedyet. It was the mother's final word that counted.

"Hm," Dedyet said. The baby's name was not to be spoken out before its birth due to religious reasons, so Ramses and her had obviously not talked about anything specific before.

It was Ramses who suddenly remembered the conversation he had had with his mother, as well as her final words: ' _So are we clear about it? If it's a girl, you will name her after the only sister you have. Neferia de Nile.'._

The pharaoh gulped. What to do now?!

Dedyet noticed Ramses' anxiousness.

"I do not want to rush you highnesses," the high priest said, "but the child's name needs to be decided as quickly as possible, in case of death. Should this tragedy happen, would the child's poor soul never reach the afterlife."

Ramses was even more nervous now, unsure if he should say anything at all, imagining the fury that his mother would have in her eyes if Ramses told her that the baby's name wasn't Neferia. Yet, he didn't want Dedyet to be unhappy or think something wrong of him…

"Ramses can decide," Dedyet suddenly announced.

Her husband was shocked. _"Really?!"_

"Of course! She's yours as well!"

He couldn't believe it. "...That's so kind, my love."

"So, do you have an idea?"

The pharaoh gulped before speaking it out through clenched teeth, again bowing to his mother's expectations, _"Neferia."_

Dedyet seemed surprised. _"Neferia?"_

"We will call her Neferia," Ramses said as a final word, immediately regretting that sentence after it was said.

"Neferia it is then," one of the priests said, about to write it down on a well-prepared papyrus.

 _"Wait!"_ Dedyet interrupted. "That's your _sister's_ name!"

"Yes, that's why I want to call her that," Ramses spoke out, obviously unhappy. He hated himself for this. But whatever he would have done, the result would have been self-hate.

Dedyet looked right through him, seeing what was wrong. "Neferia is a really nice name, but since it's already your sister's, maybe it would be better to change it a bit. How about _Nefera_ instead? Is that okay with you?"

Ramses flinched. _"Nefera?"_

"It's a term for inner and outer beauty. Inner beauty, because I told you how important I think it is. And outer beauty, because…," she chuckled, "well, she's a de Nile."

"Dedyet, that's a _beautiful_ name!"

"So, it's Nefera," Dedyet said to the priest, a smile on her face.

The priest wrote it down, nodding.

"It's a beautiful name that you have chosen," one of the priests said. "What should be the child's guarding goddess?"

Dedyet's eyes widened. "Guarding goddess?"

"There's a god or goddess chosen for children after their birth. The god or goddess is supposed to keep the child safe every day of their life," Ramses explained. "Boys choose a god and girls a goddess. It's a privilege suited only for royalty."

"That's a beautiful idea!" Dedyet said, obviously surprised. "I didn't even know that!"

"It's a Southern practice," the priest explained. "So who should it be?"

Dedyet looked at Ramses. It was free for him to decide.

After a second of thinking, Ramses announced, "Goddess Hathor."

The priest nodded. "Fine then."

And so the group of priests began their religious rituals, thanking many gods and goddess for the birth of this child. Goddess Hathor was especially addressed, as well as many of the evil gods and demons, which were strictly warned to not come near the baby. Several amulets were given to mother and baby.

After the rituals, Dedyet laid back and looked at her baby, knowing that this day was the best one of her life.


	60. Curses and Demons

**Chapter 60: Curses and Demons**

It was the next morning when Dedyet woke up in peace. It only took a few seconds, though, for the peaceful feeling to turn into shock. _Her newborn wasn't with her!_

Right before the new mom wanted to get up and actually look for her child, a nurse walked in, Nefera in her arms.

"Good morning, your highness. How are you feeling?"

"Nefera! _There_ she is!"

The nurse seemed nervous. "Yes…"

"You can't just take her from me in my sleep!" Dedyet told her angrily.

"We didn't want the child to scream at night and wake you up," the nurse explained.

The queen crossed her arms. "Who is _we_?"

"Your husband and us nurses…"

But Dedyet was angry. "My daughter had to _eat_ at night!

The nurse seemed uneasy, reluctantly answering, "The wet nurse has fed her."

 _"Wet nurse?!"_

"…The one the pharaoh has hired."

"That is _it_!" Dedyet wanted to speak to Ramses immediately! She tried to move out of bed, but the nurse quickly stopped her. "Hey! Let me go!"

"You can't get up, your highness. You've given birth the night before!"

"Do you know what other women do? They work, give birth and then immediately work again the next _day_!"

"Oh, but these women are just peasants… You're a _queen_!"

"Again: I'm not _better_ than them."

The nurse gulped. "…Yes, you are."

"Why do I get several weeks recovery time while these poor women don't?"

The nurse blushed. "Uh… Maybe you should speak to the pharaoh about it. He might change the-"

"Give me my baby now. _Please_."

The nurse stepped from one foot to the other. "Uh… That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about, your highness…"

Dedyet was immediately worried, the anger was gone. "Is something… _wrong_?"

"…Yes…"

 _"What?!"_

The nurse stepped forward and put Nefera in the queen's loving arms.

Dedyet kissed her baby immediately.

"She has this mark on her arm…" The nurse spoke out uneasily.

The queen checked out Nefera's arms, gasping quietly when she saw it – a dark mark on Nefera's left upper arm that looked rather disfiguring. Dedyet's eyes widened. She had never seen such a thing before.

"What… What is that?"

"The wet nurse has seen it when breastfeeding the princess and-"

"When was that?"

"Two or three hours ago."

"And then? You didn't wake me up?"

"No. As the pharaoh was already awake, we informed him right after the discovery. He was shocked as well, and several priests and doctors were called in."

 _"And?"_

"Well, a few doctors believe that the child will soon die if the arm is not taken off."

" _Excuse_ me?!"

She blushed deeply. "Yes, your highness?"

 _"Taken off?!"_

She nodded uneasily. "It's what they said." A short pause. "But the majority of doctors said that it is just a mark on her skin. They call it _birthmark_."

Dedyet looked down on the mark. She ran her finger above it. Nefera giggled which made her mother smile warmly.

"The priests have a rather negative opinion on it…" The nurse continued.

Dedyet looked up again. "What do they say?"

"The majority is sure that it is a bad omen for the child itself or our complete kingdom!"

"That seems… _heavy_."

"Some priests say," it was that moment when the nurse felt the most uncomfortable, "that the child is evil and possessed by a demon that will lead to Egypt's destruction."

Dedyet's eyes widened another time. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"And," the nurse buttered in, "they say that the child should be gotten rid of immediately, at best _killed_."

Dedyet looked as if she was angry. _Horribly_ angry.

"I'm sorry, my queen," the nurse confessed, facing the ground after seeing Dedyet's angry expression. "The priests say that it is definitely possible to get rid of demons. But if the baby is already born with a demon inside," she blushed again, "it's impossible. The child will be possessed forever."

"I have never heard such utter nonsense."

"Well, two priests say the child is blessed," the nurse told her, smiling awkwardly.

"What do _you_ think?"

She was surprised. _"Me?"_

"Yes. About the whole thing."

She blushed another time. "I don't know it, your highness… I know, though, that I have never seen such a mark before."

"What does Kija say?"

"She has mentioned moles. But they are different, the doctors and priests explained. They are way smaller and much more common."

"What does the wet nurse say?"

"I am sorry, your highness, but I don't know it," the nurse admitted, obviously embarrassed, facing the ground another time. "I don't think she has voiced an opinion."

"Thank you for informing me. Also… I didn't mean to be so angry with you at the start of the conversation. I'm sorry. It's just-"

 _"Dedyet!"_

They both turned to Ramses who was standing in the door, moving towards them.

"Good morning, Hun."

 _"I think our child is cursed."_


	61. Several opinions

**Chapter 61: Several opinions**

Dedyet rolled her eyes. "That's just nonsense."

"Haven't you heard what the priests say?!"

"I have."

"I have talked to my advisers as well."

"And?"

"All of them say that it is safer to get rid of Nefera and have a new child."

"Are you _kidding_ me?!"

The nurse walked outside carefully, knowing they were about to fight.

"I am not."

"Ramses! Nefera is our _child_! We can't just abandon her like barbaric people would!"

Ramses seemed careless. "We would drown her in the Nile."

She looked at him in anger. "I can't _believe_ it!"

"It's okay, my love. Nefera won't harm you if we take her away soon enough."

"Nefera won't harm _anybody_! She's a _newborn_!"

"Possessed by a demon."

"That's utter _nonsense_! I'll punch anyone in the face who tells me my child is possessed and evil! She is innocent, newly _born_ even!"

"I see."

"Hmpf!"

"Are you possessed, too?"

 _"Are you kidding me?!"_

Ramses came closer, trying to take Nefera away from his wife, but Dedyet pulled her baby closer.

"Ramses, a few hours ago you told me you _loved_ her!"

"I have solely complimented her beauty, that is all."

"You are _terrible_!"

"Dedyet," he tried to explain in a gently tone, "I just want the best for us and the kingdom. If this child really _is_ possessed, then there is a demon _controlling_ her. We are in danger!"

"Argh, I wish I wouldn't have _married_ you! Then I could go back to the North now, live with my brother and take my baby with me to safety!"

Ramses seemed truly hurt. "Don't say that, Honey…"

"It's true! Because we have just had a baby, and now you expect me to _abandon_ it!"

"I love our baby, too…"

"No, you want her _dead_!"

"Dedyet, the priests I have spoken to have years of experience. They are selected by the gods themselves to-"

 _"Oh, and you trust them on it?"_

"Absolutely."

"That's _disgusting_!"

"Please, my dear, don't forget that the priests are in close connection to the gods. The beings who have created our land and have given us life."

"You are connected to them, _too_! You are literally a _half god_ , Ramses!"

"I have prayed."

"And?"

"There was no answer."

"I suppose you expect me to leave?"

"What? No!"

"Well, apparently you do. Because I will not leave Nefera alone anymore, knowing that her own father wants her dead, supported by the majority of people I am supposed to trust."

Ramses sighed. He stepped closer and looked his baby in the eyes. Nefera looked at him, too, smiling a few seconds later.

"My little girl," he mumbled.

 _"Ramses."_

"Yes?"

"You have to tell me something."

"Anything, my dear."

"Tell me how it all happened. They told you she had a mark on her arm, and then?"

"Well, I was concerned and took a look while she was in the arms of our new wet nurse."

 _"Also."_

"Yes?"

 _"Why did you hire a wet nurse?!"_

"I didn't want you to breastfeed on your own. It's really exhausting."

 _"And you know that because…?"_

"I have spoken to several women…"

She gave him an angry look, waiting that he'd admit it.

"Fine! _My mother_ told me!"

"How does she know? She never breastfed on her own!"

"She doesn't want you to stress yourself so much. Just imagine Nefera would have woken you up at night. I am sure you would still be asleep _now_. Your body couldn't handle it. You need to _heal_."

Dedyet sighed. "Can… Can you tell me more about the mark on Nefera's arm? How it all happened?"

"Of course, my love. So, I took a look and was concerned, so I let the servants get the best priests and doctors."

"And who arrived first?"

"The doctors. They have their quarters right in the palace while the priests had to get here first. So, naturally, the doctors were here earlier."

"And then?"

"We took a look together, they examined the mark and most said it was a birthmark, while others were sure that Nefera will die if we don't get rid of her left arm. But it were just a few who said that. They then began debating. Most ended up claiming the mark to be harmless."

"And what about the priests?"

"They arrived soon after, and took a look as well."

Dedyet tried to picture it in her head. "And the advisers were…?"

"The advisers were there with me, and listened to what the doctors said. They were concerned and still are."

"All of them?"

"Yes?"

"Are you really sure, Ramses?"

"If anyone does not feel empathy for the pharaoh, I will throw them right out!"

Dedyet rolled her eyes and repeated her question. "When you spoke to the doctors, were _all_ the advisers there?"

Ramses seemed sceptic. "Well, one of them wasn't."

"Where was he?"

"I think he was already speaking to the priests as they arrived. They were in the background while the doctors were still discussing."

"Who was it?"

"You mean the doctors? Well, only the best ones in the king-"

" _No!_ Who stood behind when all of you were with Nefera?"

"The priests."

"And with them?"

"My chief adviser."


	62. Debating

**Chapter 62: Debating**

It was then when a priest entered the hut. He bowed down.

"Good morning, your highnesses."

"Good morning," Ramses answered coldly.

"Is there… Is there a decision yet?" The priest wanted to know. He looked up to them.

 _"Oh,"_ Dedyet buttered in sarcastically, _"You want to know if we have already decided if we want to keep our daughter or drown her in the Nile?"_

"Yes."

She rolled her eyes. This maniac _completely serious_.

"Sorry to disappoint you," the queen told him angrily, "but no one will convince to _murder to my child_."

His eyes widened. "I am sorry to correct you, my highness, but it is not murder."

" _Oh._ Drowning an infant isn't murder? _But when an innocent servant kills a cat on accident, he is killed for it?!_ "

The priest was completely shocked as he turned to Ramses. "My pharaoh… She… She is questioning your laws," he mumbled, his eyes wide open.

"Dedyet, my love. What is the matter?"

She turned to her husband. "Haven't you _heard_ it?!"

"My dear, if someone kills a cat, they are unworthy of love and undeserving of life. The gods show no mercy. It is a natural fact of life."

The priest nodded his head, absolutely agreeing.

"But this man," Dedyet said, pointing at the priest, "has shamelessly stated that drowning an infant isn't murder!"

"That's _not_ what I said," he told her carefully, still in shock.

"Yes, that _is_ what you said."

"I meant that drowning _this_ infant wouldn't be murder."

"How _dare_ -"

He put his hands up as an attempt to defend himself. "My queen, my queen! I am deeply sorry, but your beloved child is possessed by an evil demon. We must kill-"

 _"Leave!"_

"M-my highness!"

"I want you to leave this hut immediately!" Dedyet spoke out angrily, pointing at the door.

The priest's eyes widened. But he kept standing.

"Go _now_!" Dedyet yelled.

The priest left quickly, obviously fearing a punishment.

The queen looked at her husband angrily, seeing that he had a smirk on his face.

"What?" She asked grumpily. "Is this some kind of _prank_?!"

"I like how you showed him his place, my love. Yet, it might have been a little inappropriate. The priest means absolutely no harm."

 _"He means no harm?! For Ra's sake, he wants to kill our daughter!"_

"Hm."

"'Hm'?! You know, sometimes, I feel like I'm the only sane person, in a room full of idiots!"

Ramses smirked. "I know the feeling. It's because of those people's commonness. But believe me, Dedyet, it is not their fault. We are naturally superior. The gods have wanted it this way."

Dedyet rolled her eyes.

"So, what are you going to do?" Ramses asked her.

To Dedyet, the answer was obvious. "Leave with my baby."

Now it was Ramses who rolled his eyes. "That's ridiculous."

"Better that than staying here and having her killed!"

"Where would you even go?"

"Back to the North. Our old palace is still standing."

"You brother isn't there, neither are the servants. Everyone has left."

"I don't care."

"Sweetheart…"

"Ramses, if you don't say something against these people and defend our newly born child, then I think I have definitely married the wrong guy!"

Ramses sighed. "I just want the best for everyone… All my life, I have listened to the priests. They are _really_ important people. And now, a entire _group_ of them tells me to abandon my child…"

"I won't give her away."

"Dedyet, if Nefera is a threat to the kingdom, they will just take her."

"Oh, _yes_?!"

"Yes. Especially if I tell them to do so."

"These people have no right to touch my child!"

"Imagining her drown makes me sad, too, but sacrifices are important in our culture…"

"Yes, animals, but no one sacrifices _babies_!"

"Maybe it is a sacrifice I have to make for my kingdom. That's exactly the thing my father would have said now…" He faced the ground, pained by the sudden thought of his father's death.

"If Nefera dies, I will kill myself, too."

He looked up in shock. "Dedyet! Don't… Don't say that…"

"It's true. And you'd have to live with it. Do you know what the priests would say then? They would say that the gods have taken your child and then, after it, your wife. They would convince you that _you_ are the cursed one."

"They wouldn't…"

She put her hand on his, yet hopeful. "They _would_."

Ramses sighed, knowing she was right.

"Tell them to leave, Ramses, _please_ …"

But he was unsure.

"A little family is worth so much," Dedyet told him. "And you are willing to destroy all of our luck and happiness. Just because of some people?"

He suddenly looked up. "I _know_ what to do!"

"Yes. You send them away."

"No! I ask _my mother_ for advice!"

Dedyet rolled her eyes. "She'll want Nefera to die."

"Why do you think so?"

"Because I know how she is."

"My mother has always known best."

"I don't think so."

Ramses looked at her angrily, making it obvious that he felt insulted.

Dedyet shrugged, for the first time not caring about hurting Ramses' feelings. "I'm sorry, but it's true."

The next person entering the hut was a well-dressed man. It was Ramses' chief adviser.


	63. Visitors

**Chapter 63: Visitors**

"My highnesses!"

Dedyet rolled her eyes, knowing what he was about to ask. _"We are keeping her."_

"Uh, what?"

"Our newborn. We are keeping her."

The adviser seemed to be rather angry about her statement. Yet, he tried not to make it show. "If the pharaoh is _absolutely_ fine with that decision, I am sure we will all be safe. Otherwise..." He looked up the ceiling. _"Death."_

Dedyet spoke up quickly, unimpressed by his show. "I want to ask you something," she said to the adviser coldly, looking straight at him.

"Yes, my queen?"

"Ramses told me that all his advisers were there when he spoke to the doctors."

"That is correct. Such an extreme situation demands every important person there."

"Then where were _you_?"

"Oh, I was greeting the priests as soon as they arrived. They have really high standards and-"

"And what did you talk to them about?"

"Dedyet, what is this supposed to be?" Ramses asked her strictly.

She turned around to him. "What? I'm just asking him a question."

"Why does it matter?"

"...His behavior is suspicious."

The men both looked at each other, quietly for a second, before they both started laughing.

"It's the hormones," Ramses told his chief adviser, highly amused.

"Argh! Stop _saying_ this!" Dedyet interrupted in anger.

It was the adviser who spoke up after her. "I am actually here, because I have an announcement to make."

"Make it quick," Ramses told him.

"The royal family is requesting a visit. They want to see the new princess."

Dedyet's eyes widened. Was she even _prepared_ to face Ramses' family already? Sure, they wanted to see the new family member. But dealing with the de Niles was always really stressful. Most of them were so… so _critical_.

"Very well, then," Ramses said. "Are you ready to greet some guests, Dedyet?"

The queen blushed. "They're already _here_?!"

"Oh, no!" Her husband told her. "That would be silly. I mean, Nefera is just a few hours old. They aren't here yet."

Now it was adviser whose eyes were widening. "Actually… There are standing right in front of the door."


	64. Greeting the guests

**Chapter 64: Greeting the guests**

It was obvious that the royal guests couldn't be send away. It only took a minute for Ramses to agree, and for the adviser to greet the guests with a bow, allowing them inside, before leaving the family alone. Ramses' need to impress his family, his mother especially, became obvious another time, as he quickly grabbed his sleeping daughter up, ready to present her, and look proud and confident while doing so.

Mother de Nile and her three children walked inside.

Dedyet felt her stomach burn just by seeing them.

"Good morning," Ramses greeted his family calmly, walking forward.

"Oh! Is this _him_?" His mother asked, greedily taking Nefera out of Ramses' arms.

A feeling of panic overcame the pharaoh. "Yes… That is… That is him..."

"We have a baby girl, Ramses," Dedyet reminded him gently, a bit away from the crowd as she was lying in bed.

 _"A girl?!"_ His mother growled.

"I think girls are as good as boys," Dedyet said calmly, before anybody else could speak up.

As an answer, she received a dark look from her mother in law. If looks could kill, Dedyet would have been ready to attend her journey to the underworld.

"Mother. I am sorry."

Dedyet was pained by these words, even though they weren't directed to her. "You don't have to apologize, Ramses," she told him quietly.

"He _has_ to," his mother said angrily, looking right at Dedyet. "Because he _failed_ me."

Ramses gulped. His mind was filled with shame and guilt.

Dedyet couldn't believe it. She was brave and said, "Then please leave the hut."

All of the de Niles were shocked. Every single one of them gasped.

"Are you throwing me out?!"

"Mother, _please_!" Ramses begged. "Dedyet didn't mean it!"

"Actually, I did," Dedyet told them calmly.

They gasped another time.

Mother de Nile stood there in silence before pushing Nefera against Ramses' chest, so he would hold her, and leaving the hut in anger. Nefera started crying, Ramses' siblings were considering to follow their mother. The second born did, again sucking up to her. _"Mother, wait! Your favorite son is with you!"_

And so, Dedyet, Ramses, Neferia and Tut were left alone. The attention was on the crying Nefera who had woken up, because of her grandmother's rough actions.

"Give her to me," Dedyet said sadly, holding her arms out.

Ramses did as ordered, and Dedyet immediately began nursing to calm her baby down. And it _really_ worked. A second later, Nefera was quiet, eating hungrily, her eyes wide open.

Both Tut's and Neferia's eyes widened. _A queen? Breastfeeding?_

Ramses took a deep breath. "Well," he said, facing his siblings. "That's our daughter, Nefera."

Neferia smiled. "Aww… You've named her after me..."

Ramses smiled back at her.

"That means so much to me..."

Tut approached Dedyet, and looked over Nefera as she was being nursed. "What's that on her arm?"

"It's a birthmark," Dedyet answered proudly, remembering how the doctors had called it. Her baby was truly unique!

As Neferia saw it, too, she said, "It looks really ugly. I hope it won't be on her forever. If so, little Nefera is punished by the gods."

Dedyet wanted to defend her newborn daughter. "Why does it have to be a punishment? Just because it's different?"

"No. Because it's ugly."

"I don't think it's ugly at all."

"Then you have no taste." Neferia crossed her arms in disapproval.

The queen rolled her eyes at that shallow statement.

Tut took another look, carelessly saying, "Well, I gotta agree with Neferia. The mark is _really_ ugly."

Dedyet pulled her hungry infant closer in a protective way. There it was. Another proof that the de Niles were unhealthily obsessed with looks.


	65. Long-lasting Memories

**Chapter 65: Long-lasting Memories**

It was evening when Dedyet and her newborn laid in bed, alone and in peace. The queen looked down at the baby in her arms and let one of her fingers run over her sleeping baby's forehead.

"I don't think your birthmark is ugly at all," the queen mumbled. "It's one of the many things that make you unique."

As she lowered her finger to touch little Nefera's hand, the sleeping newborn grabbed it and held on tightly. That moment made Dedyet's heart fill with a strong feeling of love and happiness. The queen looked up, away from her child, and let everything that had happened – the whole journey – come to mind again.

How she had lived a life in despair and isolation, and how one man had changed that. Dedyet thought of the first time they had talked, and held hands in the garden. The first time they had kissed in her bedroom. The first night they had spend together in his quarters. How he had asked if she'd want to marry him. She remembered their wedding, and the problems they had faced. The coronation, and how they had solved the problems, one by one. She recalled how her brother had disappeared, how Ramses had been there for her regardless, and how his father had died, and she hadn't left his side.

It had been a difficult and an emotional journey for everyone involved, but together, they had achieved the impossible. They had saved thousands of lives by fighting the racism that had been going on for eternities between two kingdoms. Dedyet knew that, wherever her parents were, they were proud of who their daughter had become.

She looked down and faced a laughing newborn. It was that moment, when Dedyet realized that she had found the greatest luck on Earth.

* * *

Hello, guys! This is the ending of _"The Story of Nefera's Birth"_! Even though the story is several years old, I had great fun writing it. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did! Feel free to leave a like, a follow, or a review, and stay tuned for the continuation: _"The Story of Cleo's Birth"_!

If you have questions you want to ask Nefera, Ramses or Dedyet, or if you want to see more of my portrayal, feel free to visit _"un-living-perfection"_ , _"superior-in-every-way"_ and/or _"blessed-by-goddess-hathor"_ on Tumblr! I'm happy about every ask I get, and every person I get to invent new headcanons with. Stay tuned!

~A


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